Birmingham, Alabama, January 14, 2026 — AI is only a competitive advantage when it moves from "interesting" to "operational." If it stays as a handful of experiments, a few clever prompts, or a side project owned by no one, it becomes noise. If it becomes a capability with ownership, guardrails, and measurable outcomes, it becomes leverage that improves customer experience, strengthens customer engagement, and accelerates strategic growth. That conviction felt especially real