Process Re-Engineering Is a Key Skill in the Age of AI
I recently had a conversation with Jason Cottrell that will release on the Oh Shift! podcast soon, and he was speaking about an employee progression metric (adapted and derived from Zapier) where the last stage is "Transformative". At Orium this means that AI is not just saving time in an existing process, but that processes have been totally rethought between departments with AI in mind. Sounds simple right? No.
What does "Transformative" mean in the context of AI adoption?
In general I would say that process re-engineering is one of the most difficult forms of leadership, period. For most people, the answer is always: see tool, buy tool. Hope for the best. But if the tool fails, find better tool is usually the answer rather than figure out what went wrong.
Find out:
Why is effective process re-engineering so difficult for most companies?
What is the key to winning in the age of AI?
Target ChatGPT App Not Going to Save Them
Why is Target launching a ChatGPT app now?
Why Launch a ChatGPT App at All if you're Target? I think the speed in the point. After being a step behind the industry the last few years, Target’s incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke seems to be trying to prove a point. Let’s try to get ahead of things rather than stay behind them. It’s not lost on me that Amazon is making noises about a deeper retail partnership with OpenAI, and Walmart announced their support for Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) over a month ago.
The End of Instacart? Airbnb’s Grocery Solution Announced
This week on The Watson Weekend, Rick Watson and Jessica Lasesky team up with guest Nick Kaplan to unpack the top retail and commerce trends for Q4 and 2025—from the return of Toys “R” Us to Airbnb’s Instacart-powered kitchen-stocking pilot and how AI is boosting efficiency without replacing humans.
Then it’s time for The Big 2025 “Jeoparty” Retro Game—Jessica’s fast-paced showdown where Rick and Nick try to outsmart (or embarrass) themselves across categories like Riddle Me RMN, Culture Club, AI Illuminati, Marketplace Mayhem, and “Things Rick Said That Shouldn’t Be on Record.” Expect sharp insights, running jokes, and unexpected wisdom from past Watson Weekend guests.
Highlights include:
AI Illuminati: Why AI won’t replace humans—but it will reveal them.
Culture Club: “Empathy doesn’t slow performance — it scales it.”
Marketplace Mayhem: “Everyone’s a disruptor… until the invoice shows up.”
Flexport Says What: Delivery is the last brand touchpoint—don’t miss the promise date.
Rick’s Most Questionable Quotes: From “vibe-based forecasting” to calling agency attribution “Kabuki theater.”
The Four Steps of AI Activation
Most people who join our team want to be at the forefront—but getting there takess a real transformation. In this episode, Jason Cottrell (CEO of Orium and President of the MACH Alliance) shares how his team adapted a four-stage model—moving from skepticism to full activation and adoption—to thrive in an AI-driven future.
Watch Jason’s conversation with Rick Watson in Oh Shift! – The QA Mindset That Companies Need To Adopt For The AI Future on the RMW Commerce YouTube channel:
Walmart Plans a CEO Transition, Commerce Operations Foundation Critical to Our Agentic Future, OpenAI Coming for Operating Systems and Walmart Earnings Call Important for Everyone
Listen to the Watson Weekly - your essential eCommerce Digest + The Investor Minute, which contains 5 items this week from the world of venture capital, acquisitions, and IPOs.
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