2026: The Year Even the Pope Discussed AI—How Much Has the World Changed?
It was 2024 when the Pope addressed AI ethics at the G7 summit, but that's no longer even front-page news. While analyzing buyer RFQs on Rinda today, it struck me: the way international buyers send inquiries has fundamentally shifted. It used to be 'Send me a sample,' but now, they start with 'How does your company...'
This month, an RFQ I received from a European buyer included this line:
"Please describe your company's AI usage policy and how it aligns with EU AI Act compliance."
...I expected them to ask about sample specs, but this was their first line.
While monitoring buyer RFQs on Rinda, I realized this pattern is recurring—European buyers in manufacturing and materials are starting to view supplier AI policies as a matter of compliance risk. It's no longer just about the tech; it has become a baseline for vetting business partners.
To be honest, when I first received this, I didn't know how to respond and sat on it for over a day. We didn't even have a single sentence summarizing how our company uses AI.
Can your company answer this question immediately? Or have you found yourself just as flustered as I was? 👀
#ExportManager #ExportOperations #EU_AI_Act #B2B #GlobalSales #LeadGeneration #RINDA