Over the past 40 years, the business world has experienced incredible technological change. We have watched fax machines replace overnight mail; email replace handwritten letters; computers replace ledgers; cloud computing replace file cabinets; and smartphones put an entire office in our pockets. Nearly every advancement was met with skepticism. People worried technology would eliminate jobs or reduce personal interaction. Instead, these innovations became tools that helped businesses become more efficient and productive.
Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is prompting many of those same conversations. Some embrace it, while others fear it will replace people or diminish human expertise. The reality is much simpler: AI is not a replacement for knowledge, experience, leadership or critical thinking—it is another business tool.
The key is not allowing AI to do your thinking for you. Instead, use it to organize ideas, streamline processes, summarize information, improve communication and spark new ways of solving problems. The expertise, judgment and final decisions must always come from the person using the technology.
At the Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF), we see AI as an opportunity to strengthen our mission—not replace it. AI helps us create efficiencies that allow our team to spend more time focusing on students, schools, employers and the future of our industry.
Just as calculators never replaced accountants and design software never replaced architects, AI will not replace leaders or skilled tradespeople. It simply accelerates routine tasks and gives us more time to focus on strategy, relationships and innovation. Businesses that learn to use AI responsibly will gain an advantage by making faster decisions, communicating more effectively and operating more efficiently. Those who ignore it risk falling behind, just as organizations that resisted computers or the internet eventually had to catch up.
The flooring installation profession, however, remains one of the most AI-resistant careers in the skilled trades. Every project presents unique conditions that require craftsmanship, experience and real-time decision making. Moisture issues, substrate preparation, layout, pattern matching and finishing details demand skilled professionals who can adapt to each situation. No computer can replace the hands-on expertise and pride of a trained installer.
That doesn’t mean AI has no place in the installation community. In fact, it can become one of the most valuable business tools an installer owns.
ss tools an installer owns. Imagine using AI to prepare customer proposals, estimate material quantities, organize schedules, research manufacturer specifications, translate installation instructions, or prepare social media posts that promote a business. Many installers are also business owners, estimators, salespeople and office managers. AI can reduce the time spent on administrative work, allowing them to focus on what they do best—installing beautiful floors.
The future of flooring will continue to be built by skilled hands, supported by smarter tools. AI is one of those tools, and its greatest value will always come from the people who use it wisely
Kaye Whitener is executive director of the Floor Covering Education Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting recruitment, training and retention of floor covering installers. For more information, email kwhitener@fcef.org.
