Recapping the most important takeaways from DSN’s AI Now Webinar.
Artificial intelligence is no longer a future-state conversation for direct selling. It is already reshaping how companies operate; how distributors market; and how customers discover products—often faster than leadership teams anticipate.
That reality framed AI NOW, a free webinar sponsored by Direct Selling News and held on February 11, 2026, which brought together four AI practitioners working at the intersection of technology, commerce, marketing and leadership. Hosted by DSN Founder and CEO Stuart Johnson, the session focused on real-world application rather than theory—what leaders are already building, testing and learning as AI becomes embedded in daily operations.
Rather than positioning AI as a single tool or department, the discussion explored how artificial intelligence is becoming foundational infrastructure across the enterprise.
Eric Siu: AI Is Becoming a Workforce, Not Just a Tool
Eric Siu, Founder and CEO of Single Grain, opened the webinar with a clear message: AI is already capable of performing work that once required entire teams—and it will only get better from here.
Siu shared examples of AI agents writing code, creating marketing assets, analyzing data and managing workflows. One of his strongest points was that executives can no longer treat AI as something to be delegated. Leaders must engage directly if they want to understand its implications and opportunities.
He highlighted Claude Code as a major inflection point, describing how AI-powered coding tools now allow non-technical users to build real software quickly and inexpensively. For direct selling leaders, the takeaway was simple: AI is shifting competitive advantage from scale to speed.
Eric’s AI Reality Check
AI is no longer an efficiency layer—it’s becoming a workforce. Leaders who engage directly with AI now will outpace those who treat it as a delegated or experimental function.
Kathleen Ross: Strategy Must Lead Technology
Kathleen Ross, a Fractional CMO with experience guiding companies through growth and transformation, emphasized that AI success starts with clarity—not tools.
Ross warned that adopting AI without a defined marketing strategy often creates inconsistency and confusion, especially in organizations that support large, independent sales forces. She outlined practical ways companies can integrate AI responsibly, from content creation and image generation to early-stage automation that reduces repetitive work.
Her guidance centered on alignment: companies must ensure corporate teams and the field are supported with structure, training and guardrails. AI, she noted, amplifies whatever system already exists—whether that system is weak or strong.
Kathleen’s AI Reality Check
AI doesn’t fix broken strategy. Without clear direction, training and guardrails, technology amplifies inconsistency—especially in organizations built around independent sales forces.
Peter Griscom: AI Is Changing Where Commerce Begins
Peter Griscom, President and COO of It Works!, shifted the conversation toward customer behavior and measurement. According to Griscom, one of the most significant changes driven by AI is where the buying journey starts.
Increasingly, consumers are turning to AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini for product discovery, recommendations and comparisons—bypassing traditional search and social pathways. As a result, companies must rethink how visibility and influence are measured.
Griscom introduced emerging performance indicators leaders should begin tracking now, including citation presence within AI responses and conversational visibility. By early 2026, he cautioned, companies that fail to adapt to AI-driven commerce dynamics may struggle to remain discoverable.
Peter’s AI Reality Check
Discovery is moving inside AI platforms. If your brand isn’t visible in AI-driven conversations, it risks becoming irrelevant—no matter how strong your products or marketing once were.
Dan Debnam: The AI Acceleration Gap Is Widening
Dan Debnam, Founder and CEO of Inovara, closed the speaker segment by sharing patterns he has observed across nearly 20 direct selling organizations.
His conclusion: an AI acceleration gap is rapidly forming. The companies moving fastest are not necessarily the largest or best funded, but those willing to test, build and learn quickly. Debnam shared examples of executives using AI tools to solve problems in days that once required months and significant outside spend.
His advice to leaders was pragmatic: start small; focus on one problem at a time; and empower individuals to experiment. Momentum, he noted, comes from action—not planning.
Dan’s AI Reality Check
AI progress doesn’t favor the biggest organizations—it favors the boldest. The advantage is going to companies that stop planning; start building; and turn everyday problems into fast learning loops.
What Leaders Need to Understand Now
Stuart Johnson closed the webinar by connecting the themes that surfaced across each presentation. While the speakers represented different disciplines, several consistent leadership-level insights emerged:
- AI adoption cannot be delegated; leadership involvement is essential.
- Speed matters more than polish; learning happens through execution.
- Commerce is shifting toward AI-driven discovery, changing how influence is measured.
- Repeatable systems will outperform isolated experiments.
- Smaller, more agile organizations are often moving faster than larger peers.
Johnson emphasized that AI is no longer a side initiative or future investment for direct selling. It is becoming core infrastructure—impacting marketing, operations, technology and culture simultaneously.
The takeaway from AI NOW was not about chasing tools or trends. It was about mindset. Artificial intelligence is already altering how value is created and scaled in direct selling. The companies that act now—imperfectly but intentionally—will shape the next phase of growth.
DSN is committed to helping direct selling executives stay on the cutting edge of AI. Join us in Dallas for Direct Selling University April 16-18 for a special AI workshop and several mainstage speakers focused on AI. Hear from experts like Dan Debnam, Kathleen Ross, Peter Griscom, Brandon White, Damien Mobley and more.
The AI NOW webinar is available 24/7 in the DSN Library exclusively for all corporate employees of DSN Supporter Companies. Scan the QR Code to access the library. Learn more about becoming a Supporter, which unlocks access to 2,000+ assets from Direct Selling News.
