AI has moved beyond the tech sector to transform industries such as healthcare, finance, retail and manufacturing. With AI automating tasks, enhancing decision-making and unlocking innovations, professionals across all sectors need to develop new skills to remain relevant in order to succeed.
For David Brenner, director of product management at Grainger, upskilling in AI is another step in a career that has been full of new developments and tech advancements. Anticipating change has allowed Brenner to future-proof his career and continue to shift his focus when needed.
“Expect constant change throughout your career because there’s always going to be shifts in technology, business conditions or the needs of the audience you’re designing for,” he told Built In Chicago. “Expect technology to be disrupted, and be able to adapt, understand and teach others.”
As AI not only automates tasks but also enhances human problem-solving abilities, learning to work with new technologies supports advancement for individuals outside the traditional tech silos, as well. For Brenner, finding opportunities for AI upskilling is a clear route to support individuals as they tackle complex challenges and approach problems from new angles.
“A good technologist and product manager must be a continuous learner of new technology to stay relevant and find optimal solutions. I try to make the solution easily accessible for our audience: everyday technology users,” he said.
Brenner shared more with Built In Chicago about how he and his team are upskilling to prepare for continued advancements in AI.
Grainger is a global distributor of industrial supplies, maintenance, repair and operations products, offering solutions that help businesses keep their operations running efficiently.
What educational opportunities have you leveraged to deepen your understanding of AI?
Grainger has a strong commitment to team member growth and development. Internally, Grainger has provided me the time and space for a variety of learning opportunities including conferences focused on the Grainger Technology Group with TEDx-style learning conversations, collaborative lunch-and-learn sessions spanning various tech topics and open forums — inclusive of leadership — to discuss emerging technology.
I’ve also been given the opportunity to spend time taking LinkedIn Learning courses to stay up to date on new technology capabilities, and Coursera courses, which have allowed me to hear from and interact with industry leaders. Technology is always changing, and I feel equipped with the right tools, resources and support to be a continuous learner and explore new technologies when they’re announced.
How has Grainger encouraged you to apply AI at work? What impact has that had on your productivity or the business itself?
Grainger’s purpose, “We Keep The World Working,” is apparent in the way we design, deliver and operate digital experiences, tools and information that solve customers’ needs. My job requires me to leverage new and emerging technologies to implement solutions that make the lives of our team members’ and customers’ easier. Grainger has encouraged me to find these solutions through hosting open forums, encouraging cross-collaboration and employee advocacy for new solutions, and providing the latest and greatest AI models to help our teams achieve their goals.
We are building a digital edge by using technology like machine learning, IoT, cloud automation, data-driven customer insights, continuous delivery and more to help our customers rapidly find and receive the products they need.
Generative AI is the latest frontier we are using to make our processes smarter. Our leadership is making AI a priority to help us achieve three main goals: to create solutions to better serve our customers, to evolve our digital landscape by team members learning new technologies and to develop efficient processes while documenting data.
How has a stronger understanding of AI helped you grow as a tech professional? Please provide specific examples.
Using cutting edge technology to solve problems for people who are not enmeshed in the technology space is what excites me about my work.
“Using cutting-edge technology to solve problems for people who are not enmeshed in the technology space is what excites me about my work.”
AI is only the latest frontier of technology, and the technology landscape is in a continuous state of change and evolvement. Understanding AI has allowed my teams and I to institute what’s considered best-in-class technology solutions available today. Simplifying a basic users’ understanding of our technology enhances the user experience.
