This week’s blog is coming to you with a bit of extra reflection, partly because it’s been one of those weeks that’s reminded me that AI isn’t just about teaching others… it’s about keeping myself learning too.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of visiting The Old Pump House near Wellingborough. Just 10 miles from home and obscured from the main road, settled in the rolling Northamptonshire countryside was a building packed with so much history. Originally built in the late 19th or early 20th century, it once served as part of the local waterworks, The building sits on a former Ironstone Quarry, once supporting the town of steel I call home, adding even more character.

Now, it’s home to a modern tech company. As I sat chatting with Greg Du-Feu, a familiar face from a previous role it struck me how perfectly this building sums up what we believe at thinkivity. It’s not about scrapping what already exists. It’s about integrating something new and powerful within structures that have stood the test of time. Just like AI. We’re not here to replace… we’re here to enhance.

That theme of blending old and new continued throughout the week. One of our GlazePro AI members shared that his daughter, before heading off to university is now spending time working in the family business. There’s something special about seeing the next generation stepping in, bringing fresh energy and ideas. But just as valuable is the experience and depth of knowledge held by the existing generation. When youthful innovation meets seasoned expertise, you don’t just get new solutions, you get completely new ways of thinking. It’s a perfect example of what AI adoption across the glazing industry can look like: not starting again but evolving together.

Now for a bit of honesty. While I’m loving the journey with AI, automation and agents haven’t been areas I’ve spent much hands-on time with until recently. This week, diving into those topics pushed me out of my comfort zone, I know what they are, I know how powerful they can be. But actually, working with them and figuring out how they fit into our world at thinkivity and that of our community, it has been a personal development moment for me, I think it’s important to say that. Even when you’re in the business of helping others with AI, there’s always something new to learn.

AI development and progression doesn’t sit still or stop and neither does thinkivity.

One thing this week has reinforced for me: perseverance matters. Especially when it comes to AI tools. Take our video recording platform as an example. It was fantastic for capturing footage, but in all honestly the editing side left me scratching my head. My first instinct was to park it and move on. But I’m glad I didn’t. After a bit more time, trial and error, and yes, frustration it’s now become a powerful part of our toolkit. Love how I can now edit down useful clips in minutes instead of hours. And who knows… maybe this blog will soon turn into a vlog? Watch this space!

Another big highlight this week was our GlazePro AI Q&A session. This time, we had delegates from four different companies, which brought such a brilliant mix of views and questions. It was especially exciting to welcome Rich from Canada and hear how our friends across the Atlantic are approaching AI in their businesses. There’s something energising about realising that while the geography might be different, the core challenges and opportunities are often the same.

We’ve also been having fun watching how various companies are using different AI note-taking tools. We had 4 separate AI notes takers join us this week! One part of me is particularly curious to see how our Welsh friend John from Sure Seal has been transcribed by the AI this week, accents and AI still make for an interesting combo.

So, here’s to another week of learning, adapting, and keeping the conversation going. Whether it’s working from a converted pump house, welcoming new generations into family businesses, or wrestling with new tech until it finally clicks, one thing’s clear…

The AI journey is definitely a team sport, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.