AI Spend, Tariff Tensions, and the Data Center Economy

Whwere were you on September 11th?Tom’s was in New York near the World Trade Center that morning. 25 years later, it's sill burned in his memory...and it provides a fitting tribute to open this episode. From there, we turn to the latest news affecting wholesale distribution, manufacturing, independent sales agents, and the global supply chain.We look at interest rate pressure, the Fed’s likely next move, inflation, fuel costs, hiring data, and why today’s economic signals continue to send mixed messages. We also look at Canadian tariff retaliation, Costco’s tariff refund lawsuit, Williams-Sonoma’s approach to sharing tariff-related benefits, and the broader challenge of fairness when tariff costs and refunds move through the supply chain.The episode also covers port and freight conditions, the continuing impact of global shipping disruptions, data center construction, AI infrastructure, and the economic opportunities and pushback surrounding new data center development.In the AI and technology section, we dig into AI spending, token-based pricing, consumption models, and why many distributors and manufacturers are still trying to understand how to budget for AI. They also discuss the Salesforce and Anthropic partnership, the growing importance of systems of record, and why connected data across ERP, CRM, marketing automation, e-commerce, and other business systems may become one of the biggest advantages for distributors.The episode closes with a shoutout to DCKAP and the quality of its podcast and industry conversations.Timestamps/Chapters:00:00 — Introduction03:30 — What Around The Horn Covers Each Week06:45 — LeadSmart Technologies and Enterprise Growth Platforms11:30 — Remembering September 11th20:00 — Tom’s Firsthand 9/11 Story31:00 — How People Came Together After 9/1138:00 — Interest Rates, Inflation, and Fed Pressure47:00 — Tariff Tensions Between the U.S. and Canada55:30 — Costco, Williams-Sonoma, and Tariff Refunds1:02:30 — Port Activity, Freight Markets, and Supply Chain Risk1:08:30 — Data Centers, AI Infrastructure, and Energy Demand1:14:30 — AI Spend, Token Pricing, and Budget Risk1:20:00 — Salesforce, Anthropic, and Systems of Record1:23:00 — DCKAP Podcast Shoutout and Closing ThoughtsLeave a Review: Help us grow by sharing your thoughts on the show.Learn more about the LeadSmart AI B2B Sales Platform: https://www.leadsmarttech.com/Join the conversation each week on LinkedIn Live.Want even more insight to the stories we discuss each week? Subscribe to the Around The Horn Newsletter.You can also hear the podcast and other excellent content on our YouTube Channel.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok.