CE Pro Podcast #174: Sonance CEO Ari Supran and How the Custom Integration Channel is Using AI

AI isn't just about asking ChatGPT questions anymore. In this episode of the CE Pro Podcast, Sonance CEO Ari Supran shares how he went from experimenting with AI for simple tasks to helping integrators and business leaders use advanced AI tools to build software, automate workflows, and reclaim valuable time.Supran explains why many businesses are still stuck in the "chat" phase of AI adoption and how newer agentic tools like Claude Code, Claude Cowork, and Codex are enabling users to delegate work instead of simply generating answers. He discusses practical examples of AI organizing files, analyzing documents, building dashboards, creating custom business applications, and even acting as a digital coworker.The conversation also explores the growing role of AI agents, the importance of open APIs and software integrations, and why Supran believes custom integration firms have a unique opportunity to build purpose-driven tools tailored to their own operations. Along the way, he shares lessons Sonance has learned from deploying AI across the organization and offers advice for integrators looking to move beyond basic AI use cases.Whether you're just getting started with AI or already experimenting with automation and custom tools, this discussion provides a practical look at where AI is headed and how integration businesses can prepare for what's next.