As we find ourselves in the thick of 2025, the business landscape continues to evolve at breakneck speed shaped by consumer sentiment, government regulations, rising costs, economic uncertainty and most notably relentless technological advancement. For many in the flooring industry, the most unsettling part isn’t any one trend but rather the uncertainty of where all this lands and how it will reshape the way we do business.
The title of this piece, “I or AI?,”came to me as a light-hearted pun, but it reflects a very real dilemma. Today, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between what’s authentically human and what’s generated by machines. Whether you’re reading a product review, a company mission statement or even this column, you might wonder—was this written by a person…or an algorithm?
Yet amid the noise and fear-mongering around AI, I believe there’s a deeper truth we must acknowledge: This is not just a trend, it’s a transformation. Like every major evolution we’ve faced in business before, the key lies not in resisting it but in learning how to work with it.
I’ve written before about how leadership is revealed not in calm waters, but in storms. From economic downturns to supply-chain disruptions, flooring dealers have long weathered adversity by staying adaptable and responsive. I’ve stressed the importance of shifting your mindset to find opportunities amid the chaos, and AI is no different. This technology, still in its infancy, offers us tools we’ve never had access to before. It’s not here to replace us; it’s here to assist us.
Think back for a moment to your first mobile phone. Mine was a Radio Shack car phone hardwired into my vehicle in the late 1980’s. It cost me $38 a month and $0.38 per minute, and it felt like Star Trek-level tech. Today, we all carry more computing power in our pockets than NASA used to land on the moon. We adapted then and we’ll adapt now.
The point of this article is not to prove that human beings still write with passion and purpose—although, I assure you, I still do—but rather to encourage you to embrace what’s coming. Don’t let fear drive you away from progress.
I’ve long believed that clarity leads to action and this moment is very transparent. AI can streamline communication, reduce the cost of repetitive tasks and create consistency in your customer experience. AI allows your team to focus on what matters most: relationships, culture and growth.
In past articles, I’ve talked about how dealers often get bogged down in the “minutiae” that makes them the least money as we sometimes confuse being busy with being productive. AI gives us a shot at flipping that script by offloading the time-consuming administrative work so we can redirect our energy toward sales, service and strategic thinking.
Is AI perfect? No. But neither was your first fax machine or POS system. Like every piece of technology we’ve adopted in this business, from digital measuring tools to CRM systems, it only works when we choose to fully engage.
So, whether you lean toward “I” or “AI,” the most important decision you can make in 2025 is to stay present, stay curious and open. It’s not necessarily the strongest who thrive, but those who are most willing to adapt.
Scott D. Perron is the CEO of 24-7 Floors & Floors 4 Pros, based in Sarasota, Fla.
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