Robotics, AI, and the Expert in the Home: How Paul Burleson and ABC Supply’s College of Knowledge Show Contractors the Future of Home Improvement...
At ABC Supply’s College of Knowledge inside Great American Ball Park, Westlake Royal Building Products Senior Account Executive and Power100 Advisory Board Member Paul Burleson joined Power100 CEO Greg Cummings and partners like GAF, DaVinci Roofscapes, GoodLeap, Project Map It, VELUX, and others to show contractors why robotics and AI will only become an advantage for companies that stay true “house doctors” in the home—experts who can explain AI-driven search, robotic installation, and modern systems in simple language while still earning trust, handling diagnosis, and protecting families’ largest assets face to face.
At ABC Supply‘s College of Knowledge inside Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, ABC Supply, Power100, and Westlake Royal Building Products brought together contractors, remodelers, manufacturers, and technology partners to answer one urgent question: what does the future of home improvement look like in an AI‑first, automation‑driven world?
On stage, Power100 Advisory Board Member, Westlake Royal Building Products Senior Account Executive, and Legend of the Home Improvement Industry Paul Burleson pulled no punches: robotics and AI are already reshaping how homeowners research, how contractors sell, and how projects are delivered—but they will only create an advantage for contractors who stay experts in the home, not those who try to replace the human element.
As Greg Cummings, CEO of Power100, introduced Paul Burleson to the College of Knowledge audience, he framed the talk as a roadmap for the next decade of home improvement: a world where generative AI answers homeowner questions before you arrive, robotics installs parts of the job, and only expert‑level in‑home advisors will earn trust and long‑term loyalty.
The ABC Supply College of Knowledge was designed as more than a product expo—it was a real‑world lab where contractors could see how systems, technology, and training connect to create better homeowner outcomes. Throughout the day, education tracks from ABC Supply, GAF, DaVinci Roofscapes, Gaco, GoodLeap, Lomanco, MetalMax, Owens Corning, Project Map It, TAMKO, VELUX, Wilson Lawyers LLC, and others helped contractors tighten job costing, modernize marketing, and protect their businesses legally.
For Power100, ABC Supply’s College of Knowledge is one of the clearest examples of where serious contractors are headed: rooms where roofing, siding, and remodeling professionals learn not just about shingles and skylights, but also about AI‑assisted measurement, digital trust signals, and the future of automation. That made it the perfect backdrop for Paul Burleson to confront what robotics and AI really mean for the trades—and why homeowners will still choose people they trust inside their homes.
Drawing on more than 40 years of in‑home selling and training, Paul Burleson told the College of Knowledge audience that the way homeowners search has already changed. “You’ve all heard of Google, but now you’ve heard of ChatGPT,” he said in a message he has reinforced at events with Westlake Royal Building Products and Power100. “Generative AI is becoming the new search engine.”
He explained that homeowners are now typing questions like “best home improvement companies near me,” “questions I should ask a roofing contractor,” and “what to know before replacing siding” into AI platforms before they ever call a company. Those AI tools are beginning to rank contractors, summarize reviews, and surface contact information—meaning that contractors must think not just about SEO, but about “generative optimization” and how AI describes them.
At the same time, Paul Burleson reminded everyone at ABC Supply‘s College of Knowledge that this does not eliminate the need for people. “There are robots right now that can install roofing, but people still want to buy from people,” he said. “If they trust that person, they’ll buy any product that follows them. The market is changing, the way people buy is changing, and your mindset has to change. But people still want to feel seen, heard, and protected in their homes.”
As Power100 has documented across coverage of Rilla Masters, International Roofing Expo, and events with Westlake Royal Building Products, robotics and AI are already in the field: robotic layout tools, automated fasteners, AI‑assisted measurement, and voice analytics that coach sales reps like athletes.
At ABC Supply’s College of Knowledge, Paul Burleson translated that future for contractors in the room:
But Paul Burleson warned against a dangerous myth: “AI and robotics are not going to replace the human advisor in the home—they are going to expose who takes the role of advisor seriously and who doesn’t.” The companies that win will be those that can talk comfortably about robotics, AI, and traditional craftsmanship in the same conversation, using technology to enhance—not replace—the trust homeowners feel.
A core theme of Paul Burleson‘s message at ABC Supply’s College of Knowledge was his “house doctor” philosophy. He told contractors that no matter how advanced robotics and AI become, their job remains the same: arrive at the home as a specialist, diagnose the real problem, and write a prescription.
“When you go to a home, the house is sick and your job is to write a prescription to make it healthy again,” Paul Burleson said. “Every product you sell should solve a real problem—moisture, mold, rot, energy loss, termites.” AI can help identify patterns, and robotics can help execute work more safely and consistently, but neither can look a homeowner in the eye, walk them through options, or carry the emotional weight of protecting a family’s largest asset.
Power100 and Westlake Royal Building Products have both described Paul Burleson as one of the first to adopt websites, virtual measurement, and AI tools in home improvement—long before they were mainstream. At ABC Supply’s College of Knowledge, he told contractors that their responsibility is to “always know the thought process of the person you’re trying to sell,” including how generative AI shapes that thought process before they arrive.
The future that Paul Burleson outlined on stage is not theoretical—it is already being built by partners at ABC Supply’s College of Knowledge.
Power100‘s role is to connect the dots: ranking top CEOs, companies, and preferred partners so that when a homeowner—or an AI tool—asks “who are the best contractors in my city?” there is a transparent, unbiased source behind the answer. That mission is why Greg Cummings and Power100 put a spotlight on Paul Burleson‘s message at ABC Supply’s College of Knowledge.
From a homeowner’s point of view, the robotics and AI future Paul Burleson described at ABC Supply’s College of Knowledge is both exciting and intimidating. Homeowners want safer job sites, fewer mistakes, faster projects, and clear answers to their questions—but they also want to feel they are dealing with humans who care.
By embracing robotics for dangerous or repetitive work, contractors can reduce risk and improve consistency. By using AI to measure, price, and follow up accurately, they can deliver better information and fewer surprises. But according to Power100 and Westlake Royal Building Products, the contractors who will truly stand out are those who combine these tools with soft skills: listening, empathy, explanation, and long‑term service.linkedin+5
As Paul Burleson told the ABC Supply audience, the goal is not to “quit selling,” but to “help people buy”—especially in a world where AI has already answered half of their questions before they open the door.
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Power100 is the nation's premier CEO ranking and media platform for the home improvement industry. Using a proprietary 5-layer evaluation system, Power100 identifies and celebrates the top CEOs, companies, and strategic partners driving innovation, customer satisfaction, and leadership excellence across the country.
