Video
ISMWorld 2025 | Direct Materials
11 minutes
Description
At ISMWorld 2025, Spencer Penn gave procurement teams a practical crash course in AI for direct materials, from what AI actually is to where it already changes day-to-day sourcing work.
He shows how LightSource uses native AI across the sourcing cycle to take on the complexity of direct materials: messy specs, large BOMs, and supplier quotes that never come back in the same format.
The supporting clips cover the history of AI, the difference between generative and agentic AI, and the capability overhang that leaves most business software far behind what AI can already do.
Speakers
Spencer Penn
CEO, LightSource
Key moments
Introduction to AI 101 for direct materials
Spencer opens by defining AI and why it won't take your job, but someone using it might.
Introduction to and history of AI
What AI means to researchers and governing bodies, and what the T in GPT really stands for.
Agentic vs. generative AI
Generative AI reacts to prompts. Agentic AI acts on its own. Spencer explains why the difference matters.
The AI capability overhang
AI is improving every week, so why isn't your business software getting much better?
See this sourcing workflow in practice.
LightSource is the AI-native sourcing platform for direct materials. See it on your own parts and suppliers.
