Field notes on AI in business
Practical writing on AI, automation and the day-to-day work of running a business. From the team that builds and runs AI systems.
Ecommerce retail
AI for Multi-Warehouse Inventory Allocation: Shipping From the Right Location
Retailers with multiple fulfillment centers can cut shipping costs 15-25% by using AI to position inventory closer to predicted demand clusters.
Basel IsmailApr 2, 2026
Ecommerce retail
Automated Reorder Point Calculation: Why Static Safety Stock Formulas Fail
The standard safety stock formula assumes demand follows a normal distribution. In ecommerce, it almost never does, and that mismatch causes chronic stockouts.
Basel IsmailApr 2, 2026
Ecommerce retail
How Machine Learning Predicts Stockouts 3 Weeks Before They Happen
ML models analyzing sales velocity, supplier lead times, and external demand signals can predict inventory stockouts weeks in advance, giving teams time to act.
Basel IsmailApr 2, 2026
Construction
AI for Tracking Percent Complete: Replacing Manual Progress Reporting
AI progress tracking compares planned vs. actual work using site photos and sensor data, eliminating the guesswork in percent-complete reporting.
Basel IsmailApr 2, 2026
Construction
Weather-Adjusted Construction Scheduling Using Machine Learning
ML weather integration goes beyond checking forecasts, modeling how specific conditions affect specific trades to adjust schedules automatically.
Basel IsmailApr 2, 2026
Construction
Predictive Project Scheduling: How AI Forecasts Delays Before They Cascade
AI scheduling tools analyze historical project data to flag activities likely to slip weeks before the delay actually happens.
Basel IsmailApr 2, 2026
Get the next article by email
One short email when something new goes up. Practical, no fluff, written by the people who build.
Free. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy policy
Construction
How AI Reads Architectural Plans and Generates Material Takeoffs
AI plan reading tools can extract door schedules, window counts, and finish quantities from architectural drawings in minutes instead of hours.
Basel IsmailApr 2, 2026
Construction
AI-Powered Electrical Estimating: Counting Devices and Calculating Wire Runs
Electrical estimating AI can count 2,000 devices across a 100-sheet plan set in minutes, but wire run calculations still need human review.
Basel IsmailApr 2, 2026
Law firms
AI for Employment Agreement Analysis: Spotting Non-Compete Issues at Scale
AI tools analyze hundreds of employment agreements simultaneously, mapping non-compete scope and flagging enforceability risks across employee populations.
Basel IsmailApr 2, 2026
Law firms
Due Diligence Document Review: How AI Cuts M&A Review Time by 70%
AI-assisted due diligence in M&A transactions reduces document review from months to weeks while catching material issues buried in data rooms.
Basel IsmailApr 2, 2026
Law firms
Automated NDA Review: What AI Catches That Paralegals Rush Past
AI NDA review tools consistently flag non-mutual obligations, carve-out gaps, and residuals clauses that get overlooked in high-volume review workflows.
Basel IsmailApr 2, 2026
Law firms
AI for Lease Agreement Analysis: Extracting Key Terms Across 500 Leases
When a commercial real estate portfolio hits 500 leases, AI extraction tools turn months of manual review into a structured dataset in days.
Basel IsmailApr 2, 2026
1,319 articles