Host: Annik Sobing

GTC Course Details: 

Mergers & Acquisitions Course

In this Simply Trade Roundup, host Annik Sobing sits down with tech entrepreneur John Petitte to explore what really happens when technology meets trade. Coming from a software and AI background—not customs or logistics, John shares an “outsider” view on how critical, yet invisible, the trade compliance world is, and why it’s such a powerful use case for modern AI tools. The conversation covers how he and co‑founder Hal first targeted classification, where AI genuinely works today, and why current “agent” hype doesn’t match on‑the‑ground adoption.

Together, they unpack the difference between true productivity gains and marketing promises, why large language models fit text‑heavy work like trade compliance and law, and how small firms can use AI to punch above their weight instead of fearing job loss. Annik and John also dig into where AI is (and isn’t) a good fit—from code and internal tools to art, music, and marketing—and what trade professionals should focus on as 2026 approaches.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

How a technologist first discovered trade compliance and saw opportunity in classification

Why trade is “hypercritical” to daily life yet largely invisible to the public

The gap between AI/agent hype and actual business adoption and ROI

The difference between large language models and other AI types (e.g., world models, robotics)

Why text‑heavy fields like trade compliance, law, and coding are prime candidates for LLMs

Practical examples of where AI already saves hours per week (e.g., internal tools, newsletters)

Why regulators still expect human “reasonable care” between AI outputs and government filings

How small brokers, consultants, and firms can use AI to compete with much larger players

Strategic tips for picking specific, narrow use cases instead of trying to “AI everything”

Key Takeaways

AI in trade is best used for focused, well‑defined tasks—not as a magic “replace everything” button.

Compliance remains insulated from full automation because regulators still require human oversight.

Small firms that ignore AI risk falling further behind large players who are already exploring it.

Understanding which type of AI you’re using (and why) is essential to getting real value, not just buzz.

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