AI's Role in Democratizing Work

As supply chain technology accelerates, the ability to translate operational knowledge into scalable systems is becoming a defining advantage for both companies and early-career talent. In this episode of Supply Chain Now’s Now Generation series, Scott W. Luton sits down with Ryan Goodwin, Sr. Director of Supply Chain Technology & Innovation at Trinity Industries and an adjunct professor at Texas Christian University, alongside Titus Fagan, TCU Student Body Vice President and a third-year accounting major with a minor in energy business.

Ryan shares how his team is integrating planning, MRP, and financial data into platforms that enable faster automation and application-building, often with the help of AI and “vibe coding,” where non-traditional builders can create real tools without a formal software background. Titus brings the student lens, explaining why practitioner-led teaching changes the classroom experience, how simulation-based learning builds cross-functional thinking, and why early responsibility and collaboration are top priorities when evaluating future employers.

Together, they explore how AI can lower barriers to entry, accelerate skill development, and reduce manual work while also raising bigger questions about infrastructure, power demand, and the bottlenecks that can slow even the most innovative systems. From freight reporting automation to energy transmission constraints, this conversation connects the dots between learning, leadership, and the fast-evolving reality of global supply chains.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(00:37) The Now Generation and why TCU stands out

(02:23) Introducing Ryan and Titus

(04:20) Titus’ weather forecasting hobby

(06:28) Ryan’s board game community

(09:13) Ryan’s work at Trinity Industries

(11:32) AI, platforms, and “vibe coding”

(20:00) Bottlenecks and infrastructure strain

(27:34) A discussion on nuclear power

(28:21) Modernizing the accounting path

(30:25) Cross-functional collaboration matters

(33:30) What Titus wants from employers

(38:14) Learning through simulation games

(40:37) Why professors keep evolving

(42:49) TCU’s teacher-scholar approach

(46:53) Trade shows and career exposure

Additional Links & Resources:

1. Connect with Ryan Goodwin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryancgoodwin/
2. Connect with Titus Fagan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/titus-fagan-77b547291
3. Learn more about Trinity Industries: https://www.trin.net/
4. Learn more about TCU’s Neeley School of Business: https://www.neeley.tcu.edu/
5. Learn more about WISE by The University of Arkansas: https://walton.uark.edu/departments/supplychain/wise.php
6. Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about
7. Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
8. Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
9. Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
10. Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk
11. WEBINAR- Supply Chain Planning Reimagined: Embedded AI that senses, explains, and optimizes: https://bit.ly/4pOGgyo
12. WEBINAR- ChatGPT Is Just the Beginning for Shipping: https://bit.ly/3YLFGq7

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/now-generation-teaching-supply-chain-simulations-stories-systems-1549