Vanessa Wieners

At Manifest 2026, Scott Luton spent time with Josh Gruenstein, Co-Founder and CEO of Tutor Intelligence, to talk about a future that’s no longer theoretical: AI-powered robot workers operating inside America’s warehouses and factories. And this isn’t a science experiment. It’s already happening.   From MIT to the Warehouse Floor Gruenstein and his team came out of MIT’s Computer Science and AI Lab with a bold idea: build AI-powered robot workers that can handle the manual labor people don’t want to do. “We build physical robots,” Gruenstein explained. “We build AI models that enable robots to perceive their environments, and then we deploy those robots into factories and warehouses across the United States to do manual labor that people don’t want to do.” Unlike traditional automation projects that require massive capital outlays, Tutor Intelligence operates on a robots-as-a-service model. Companies can engage a Tutor robot for roughly $14–$18 an hour, creating a flexible, scalable path to automation without multimillion-dollar implementation risk.   Automation Isn’t New. AI Is Changing the Playbook. When asked about dominant supply chain themes, Gruenstein pointed to a constant drumbeat: automation. But 2026 feels different. “Automation is obviously a constant theme,” he said. “What really seems different…

In schools and childcare centers, every dollar counts. But there’s another resource that may be just as precious: time. In a recent conversation with Scott Luton, Ashley Hubka, SVP & GM of Walmart Business, explored the often-overlooked role procurement plays in education. From preparing for the back-to-school rush to managing staff shortages and embracing AI, Hubka’s message was consistent: Simplifying routine purchasing can give educators and administrators more time to focus on the people they serve. And that opportunity may be substantial: according to a recent survey of more than 500 decision-makers at businesses with 10–500 employees, 37% of business leaders spend 4–7 hours each week on routine purchasing. Different Organizations, Similar Challenges A school district serving 30,000 students and a childcare center supporting 500 children may operate at vastly different scales, but Hubka says their procurement challenges often look surprisingly similar. Both organizations must stretch budgets, stay stocked, support multiple users and locations, and respond quickly when needs change. When purchasing is fragmented across suppliers and systems, they face increased complexity and reduced visibility. The back-to-school season magnifies those challenges. “Back-to-school condenses months of planning and purchasing into a very short window,” Hubka explained. At the same time organizations…