We’ve all heard the hype about AI, but what’s actually happening behind the scenes?

In this episode, Blythe breaks down two major studies that reveal how marketers are really using AI tools, where they’re struggling, and what’s coming next. If you're trying to figure out what to adopt (and what to ignore), this episode offers a blueprint for smart AI integration without the slop.

Key takeaways:

• Only 17% of marketing teams have fully integrated AI into their workflows.
• 65% of marketers say research and ideation are still the most time-consuming tasks.
• You can use anonymized meeting notes to supercharge FAQ pages and ad campaigns.
• Tools like Grok and ChatGPT Projects have helped reduce research time from 6 hours to 2.
• AI is best used as a co-pilot, not the sole driver of your content strategy.

Note: In this episode, Blythe references "Gemma" a lot. Like, a lot, a lot. But it's actually GAMMA. Please forgive her mistake and check out their awesome AI for presentation slides here.

LINKS:

• Writer.com
• AI Report from Writer
• State of Data 2025
• Report of the Register of Copyrights

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Are you experienced in freight sales or already an independent freight agent? Listen to our Freight Agent Trenches interview series powered by SPI Logistics to hear from the company's agents on how they took the leap and found a home with SPI freight agent program.

CloneOps AI-powered phone operations for inbound and outbound calls with speed, scale, and efficiency. Our virtual agents handle high-volume interactions, automate workflows, and deliver real-time insights, freeing your team to focus on growth. Designed for logistics, retail, and beyond—seamless communication, smarter conversations, faster resolutions.

CargoRex – Your Logistics Hub. Explore, discover, and evolve with the all-in-one platform connecting you to the top logistics tools, services, and industry voices. Whether you're a leader, researcher, or creator, CargoRex helps you stay ahead. Explore Now

Digital Dispatch maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers. Check out our website services her...

Most freight tech stacks are a tangled mess of tools that don’t talk to each other. Ezequiel Peralta, VP of Technology at SPI Logistics, is working to fix that.

This episode strips away the hype and digs into what it really takes to build functional, secure, and scalable freight systems. Peralta shares how SPI is moving beyond the TMS-first mindset by introducing a flexible integration layer, leveraging AI to reduce email chaos, and automating back-office tasks without sidelining the people who matter most.

Freight leaders looking to create tech that works for humans, not the other way around, will get a lot out of this one.

Key Takeaways:

• Freight tech success depends on modeling your business process before adopting any tool.
• SPI Logistics is moving beyond the TMS as the tech stack centerpiece with a dedicated integration layer.
• AI tools are only valuable when paired with structured data and business-aligned goals.
• Automation is transforming back-office operations, reducing manual tasks for better auditing and analysis.
• Everyone—not just IT—must be involved in managing freight fraud and data security.

LINKS:

• Eze's LinkedIn
• SPI Freight Agent Program
• SPI on CargoRex

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Are you experienced in freight sales or already an independent freight agent? Listen to our Freight Agent Trenches interview series powered by SPI Logistics to hear from the company's agents on how they took the leap and found a home with SPI freight agent program.

CloneOps AI-powered phone operations for inbound and outbound calls with speed, scale, and efficiency. Our virtual agents handle high-volume interactions, automate workflows, and deliver real-time insights, freeing your team to focus on growth. Designed for logistics, retail, and beyond—seamless communication, smarter conversations, faster resolutions.

CargoRex – Your Logistics Hub. Explore, discover, and evolve with the all-in-one platform connecting you to the top logistics tools, services, and industry voices. Whether you're a leader, researcher, or creator, CargoRex helps you stay ahead. Explore Now

Digital Dispatch maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers. Check out our website services her...

Barges move over 70 percent of U.S. grain and can carry the equivalent of 4,000 truckloads with a single tugboat. Yet this massive freight channel has remained invisible to most supply chains due to outdated systems and zero visibility.

In this episode, OpenTug CEO Jason Aristides shares how his team is digitizing barge and tug operations with GPS tracking, AI-powered automation, and a modern marketplace experience. By unlocking real-time visibility and booking capabilities, OpenTug is helping shippers tap into a cleaner and more efficient way to move freight across America's 12,000 miles of inland waterways.

Key takeaways:

• Barges are one of the most fuel-efficient and underused freight modes in North America
• A single barge move can replace thousands of truckloads with a fraction of the labor
• OpenTug brings real-time GPS and predictive ETAs to an industry that ran on email chains
• Ports like New Orleans are investing heavily in container barge terminals
• More visibility and automation will help eliminate empty miles and reduce emissions

LINKS:

• Jason's LinkedIn
• OpenTug's LinkedIn
• OpenTug on CargoRex

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Are you experienced in freight sales or already an independent freight agent? Listen to our Freight Agent Trenches interview series powered by SPI Logistics to hear from the company's agents on how they took the leap and found a home with SPI freight agent program.

CloneOps AI-powered phone operations for inbound and outbound calls with speed, scale, and efficiency. Our virtual agents handle high-volume interactions, automate workflows, and deliver real-time insights, freeing your team to focus on growth. Designed for logistics, retail, and beyond—seamless communication, smarter conversations, faster resolutions.

CargoRex – Your Logistics Hub. Explore, discover, and evolve with the all-in-one platform connecting you to the top logistics tools, services, and industry voices. Whether you're a leader, researcher, or creator, CargoRex helps you stay ahead. Explore Now

Digital Dispatch maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers. Check out our website services her...