It has been a busy couple of weeks as I prepare to take some well-earned downtime with the family. Before I switch off for some annual leave, I have been reflecting on just how much ground we have covered recently.

AI or Automation?

There have been plenty of conversations about AI, and just as many about the expectation that AI equals automation. Things are moving quickly, and it is fascinating to see how each business is finding its own path.

Last week, Elton and I visited a large supplier in the northwest to explore AI automation and other ways thinkivity can support their business. The standout moment was their approach being entirely people first. They saw AI not as a replacement, but as a support tool, a way to help their team work more effectively without stress or fear of mistakes. It was about creating a safety net and boosting confidence.

Ideas flying round the room

The conversation started tentatively, but by the end of the day, ideas were flying around the room. We even had to remind ourselves to stop and eat. Meetings like that showcase what we do best, whether it is helping a one-person operation juggle everything or supporting a team of over 200. AI is adaptable, and we are at our strongest when we tailor it to fit exactly what is needed.

At the end of this the week, I caught up with someone I can only describe as AI savvy. He knows the mechanics inside out and is always testing, pushing, and looking for potential flaws. The timing was perfect, coinciding with the release of ChatGPT 5. He dove in straight away to see what it could do.

Golden nuggets

My approach is very different. I tend to sit back, watch from the sidelines, read reviews, and listen to feedback before jumping in. Some might call it lazy, but I call it strategic. I focus on the golden nuggets that matter for real-world businesses, so when we share our findings, they are grounded in tested, practical value.

We have also been doing more networking over these past weeks, and the one constant in every conversation is AI. The hype and noise of six to eight months ago is fading, replaced with a genuine focus on real business applications. Increasingly, people are asking not if they should use AI, but how. This is where thinkivity really shines, turning interest into practical action that works for the specific needs of each business.

Strength of (AI) community

These last two weeks have also reminded me of the strength of our GlazePro AI community. Next week will be the first time I miss our Q and A session, and it feels strange. But after seeing the group take such a big step forward, supporting one another, offering suggestions, and working as a unit, I could not be prouder to be part of this community. We are changing mindsets and breaking the mould of the idea that the fenestration industry is slow to adopt anything new. Fenestration is changing and we are part of this movement.

Building something special

For a moment, I sat back and smiled, remembering where we were just a few months ago and seeing how far we have come. It also feels like the right time to update my profile picture to the one taken at the FIT Show, a symbolic nod to where we launched GlazePro AI and how much it has grown since. If you are not yet part of it and you are curious about how AI can support your business, now is the time to get involved. We are building something special, and the best part is, we are doing it together. By learning as much as we can about AI now, we ensure that when future updates arrive, adoption will feel natural, comfortable, and far from a difficult leap.