However, what sometimes gets lost in the hype is a sense of purpose and direction. What do you actually need AI to do? Implementing AI systems “just because” is a recipe for disaster. According to Epicor’s Cognitive ERP strategy, successful companies use AI intentionally: they have a specific purpose in mind and they get the right AI tool for that purpose. In this blog, we’ll briefly go over the benefits of AI and then get into a list of suggestions of which kinds of AI tools would most benefit businesses in various industries.

AI Can Do (Pretty Much) Anything 

Manual workarounds, operational delays, tedious and repetitive tasks, inability to find the data you need: have you experienced any of these recently when dealing with your business software? If so, you’d probably benefit from AI.

AI can process vast amounts of data, surface buried data and documents, automate repetitive tasks, and improve the UI of your business software for your employees and your customers. AI can generate predictive analytics, not just descriptive analytics. AI can revolutionize your document organization system. AI can summarize huge datasets instantly.

It seems like AI gains new functionality every day. But again: What do you actually need AI to do?

AI for a Purpose 

Depending on your company’s size, strategy, product lines, and industry, you’ll use AI differently. While we don’t have time to dive into all of these differentiators, today we’ll explore the different AI tools that may be most useful for companies in three industry sectors:

Manufacturing 

• Predictive maintenance minimizes downtime by forecasting equipment failures.
• Intelligent quality control uses machine vision to catch defects in real time.
• Production scheduling optimization adjusts workflows dynamically.
• Smart factory automation blends AI, IoT, and robotics for self-optimizing environments.
• Generative and agentic AI enhance design and manage workflows autonomously.
• AI-driven sustainability tools help cut energy waste and emissions.

 Distribution: 

• Smart route planning enhances delivery efficiency.
• Predictive demand forecasting improves stock accuracy and reduces out-of-stock messages.
• Intelligent automation streamlines operations like invoicing and order processing.
• AI-driven warehouse systems boost accuracy and speed.
• Integrated into ERP systems, AI transforms data into strategic insights and supports contract automation for compliance.
• Personalized marketing and conversational AI elevate customer experience.

Retail: 

• AI can recommend products and promotions based on behavior and previous purchases.
• Virtual assistants offer real-time support to customers in a simple chatbot format.
• Merchandising tools tailor regional assortments and adjust prices dynamically.
• Smart store technologies automate shelf monitoring, restocking, and checkout.
• Integrated business intelligence tools analyze trends and generate marketing content.
• Conversational marketing deepens engagement through context-aware messaging.

As you can see, while there are some common themes between the three sectors, there are many differences in how companies in each sector should implement AI. That’s why it’s so important to consider your overall strategy before choosing and implementing an AI tool.

Struggling with AI Strategy? Let Us Help!

Here at Laminin, we pride ourselves on delivering business software solutions tailored to the unique needs of each of our clients. When it comes to software—especially AI-powered software—we don’t believe that “one size fits all.” However, we do believe that certain systems like Epicor can easily be customized to fit your needs! If you’re ready to implement AI but aren’t sure where to start, let’s chat! We’d love to help you find the AI tools that work best for you.