The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors has launched NAW Nucleus, an AI-powered tool tailored for the distribution sector. NAW Nucleus is trained on decades of industry-specific research and insights, providing actionable solutions to business challenges and tools to save time on plans and presentations. NAW Nucleas is offered as a complimentary benefit to NAW members.

Lowe's plans to acquire Foundation Building Materials in a deal valued at $8.8 billion. The deal for FBM, a distributor of interior building products for residential and commercial professionals, includes more than 350 locations in North America. The move is part of Lowe's ongoing strategy to expand its offerings and presence with home professionals, a customer segment viewed as more stable and profitable amid a challenging home improvement market.

Demand for industrial space from distribution, logistics and third-party logistics companies has increased 13% year over year, according to JLL. Companies are favoring short-term renewals over long-term commitments, extending decision timelines from 3.5 to 11 months amid tariff uncertainties and supply chain evaluations.

Only about 5% of generative AI pilot programs in enterprises achieve rapid revenue gains, with the vast majority stalling and showing little measurable impact on profit and loss, according to MIT's NANDA initiative. Based on interviews and analysis of hundreds of AI deployments, the report underscores that most pilots are hindered not by technology limitations but by integration failures and poor alignment with actual business needs. The research points to a significant "learning gap," with AI tools and organizations unable to effectively learn and integrate new workflows.

Aurora Innovation has started operating driverless trucks on Texas highways, transporting goods for companies like FedEx. Aurora's trucks use First Light LiDAR technology for enhanced road visibility. The move could lead to significant job losses for truck drivers, though it helps with the current shortage of drivers.

B2B marketers can effectively engage both human buyers and AI bots by focusing on semantic clarity in their content, writes Marketing Interactions' Ardath Albee. Semantic clarity, achieved through specificity and context, ensures content is easily understandable and relevant, enhancing engagement and trust. "For LLMs, semantic clarity establishes entity links and concept relationships," Albee writes. "This improves the LLM's ability to pull quality snippets and construct summaries."

Create aligned autonomy within your teams by combining transparency, alignment to shared goals and iterative feedback, so they can make decisions confidently while staying coordinated with organizational objectives, writes startup advisor Keith Lucas. "Competent leaders of intrinsically motivated teams build systems optimized for team-based creativity, innovation and problem-solving -- systems defined by practices, principles and feedback loops," Lucas writes.

Prioritize your organization's greatest asset — your people. NAW's premier education programs, such as the online Management Academy and the in-depth Distribution Leadership Program at THE Ohio State University, are designed to equip your high-potential employees with the skills and insights they need to lead and succeed. Ensure your rising stars are prepared to drive your business forward by investing in their growth today. Learn more about how NAW can help you develop the leaders of tomorrow.

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