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Temple Furniture<\/a> rates ai adoption at 7 with strategic expansion plans HIGH POINT \u2014 Artificial intelligence is transforming industry at a pace that\u2019s hard to match with business strategies, but most executives agree the technology cannot be ignored. Furniture Today asked domestic furniture manufacturing industry leaders to rank their company\u2019s adoption of AI and share insights into what their future goals and objectives for AI involve.<\/p>\n \u201cWe would rate our current AI adoption at a 7,\u201d said Adrian Parker<\/a>, CEO, Temple Furniture\/Parker House\/Mantle Furniture<\/a>. \u201cWe believe AI should be implemented thoughtfully and strategically, taking baby steps to ensure each application adds real value to the business rather than adopting technology for its own sake.\u201d<\/p>\n Parker said his team is excited about AI\u2019s potential in the research and development department, adding that it can help accelerate product development, assist in creating new styling concepts and evaluate customization options more efficiently. The team is also using AI in marketing efforts to create room scenes and visual content that helps customers envision furniture in their homes, freeing up time resources to support innovation and product design that meets the needs of customers.<\/p>\n See also:<\/p>\n \u201cLooking ahead to 2027, our strategy is to continue expanding AI in a measured way across the business,\u201d Parker said. \u201cWe see opportunities to further integrate AI into our manufacturing operations, employee and sales training, website experience, marketing, and product development, while ensuring it complements \u2014 not replaces \u2014 the craftsmanship and personal service that define our company.\u201d<\/p>\n At Rock House Designer Brands<\/a>, CEO Alex Shuford III<\/a> said he would rate his portfolio of companies at a 3 or 4. He said he believes there is \u201cso much head space above us\u201d in which AI tools can make companies better collectors and providers of information that he feels there is a lot of catching up to do.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of focus in the industry has been on AI as a design tool, but I am most interested in AI helping us with the tens of millions of pieces of information we generate and deliver to our customers yearly,\u201d said Shuford. \u201cTrust comes not just from providing high-quality product, but also from providing high-quality and timely information. Large language models have the ability to digest our large and unstructured data sources and provide answers back to our customers and our management team at shocking speeds.\u201d<\/p>\n Dixon Mitchell<\/a>, CEO at Fairfield Chair Company<\/a>, said he would place his team\u2019s adoption of AI \u201csomewhere in the middle of the scale today.\u201d He noted that Fairfield Chair is not trying to be the first company to adopt every new AI application but is embracing the technology where it creates meaningful value for associates and customers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are actively using AI across marketing, product development, information technology, procurement, sales data analytics and customer service. In each of these functions, AI is helping us work more efficiently, make better decisions and respond more quickly to customer needs,\u201d said Mitchell.<\/p>\n He continued with a reference to AI as another important tool in the toolkit, noting that like any technology, its value is not simply in having it, but knowing how to effectively apply it to the company\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do not look to replace people with AI,\u201d Mitchell explained. \u201cOur goal is to use it to become more efficient, allowing our associates to grow into more productive and higher-value roles. By reducing routine work and improving access to information, AI allows our people to spend more time solving problems, serving customers and collaborating across departments.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2027, the Fairfield team will continue expanding AI where it improves decision-making and strengthens business processes. The company also plans to introduce customer-focused strategies that will \u201cmake it easier to do business with Fairfield, provide faster access to information, improve communication and deliver a better customer experience,\u201d Mitchell said.<\/p>\n Tom Zaliagris<\/a>, vice president of sales and marketing at Sherrill Furniture<\/a>, said the company has leaned into AI for some image creation and visualization of prototypes before they have been fully engineered. He pointed out that while Sherrill will move ahead in adoption, it will be a measured approach.<\/p>\n \u201cCreativity is at the heart of our merchandising process and to be leaders in a fashion business, we cannot rely on aggregated information based on what is already available,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n AI is top of mind at Bassett Furniture<\/a>, according to CEO Rob Spilman Jr.<\/a> He said that the Bassett team is putting AI to work internally through personal productivity, product design and business analytics. He added that Bassett is building out strategies and testing new capabilities \u201cwell beyond that,\u201d specifically with a focus of positioning Bassett at the center of how consumers interact with the technology.<\/p>\n \u201cThe impact AI is having on how people research and shop, especially for high-value purchases like furniture, is real,\u201d Spilman said. \u201cAcross the business, we\u2019re focused on making sure our brand and products are well positioned for this new customer experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nRock House Designer Brands CEO rates ai adoption at 3 to 4
\nFairfield Chair<\/a> uses ai across marketing, product development, and customer service<\/p>\n