Birmingham, Alabama, January 15, 2026 — AI should make a leadership team faster, calmer, and more aligned—not busier. If AI increases motion without improving decisions, it is not a strategy. It is a distraction. But when AI strategy is built around real outcomes, strong guardrails, and a repeatable operating rhythm, it becomes a durable competitive advantage that improves customer experience and deepens customer engagement. That conviction got reinforced on Thursday, Janua