When Technology Becomes the Hero

I swear, next year I’m going to try not to reference a single movie or TV show, but I have to do it here.

We can all think of movies where technology is the “Bad Guy.” Two notable examples are Westworld (1973) and WarGames (1983). In Westworld, Yul Brynner is an unstoppable, gunslinging robot in a high-tech theme park. In WarGames, Matthew Broderick is a computer hacker who accidentally breaks into a military super-computer and nearly starts World War III. Westworld scared me to death, and WarGames, I wanted to be Matthew Broderick because I had a crush on Ally Sheedy, but both stories are about technology that slips out of human control. Machines are acting independently and creating chaos. For anyone who grew up watching these types of movies, they left an impression. It’s frightening to think that machines could be unpredictable or even develop a life of their own.

Today, the story is very different. In the hardwood industry, technology, including AI, is no longer the villain. It is a tool that can make us better, wiser, and faster. From optimizing sawing patterns and improving grading accuracy, to predicting yield, tracking inventory, and even helping manage sustainability efforts. Technology is helping to reduce waste, save money, and make better decisions across every part of the business.

One of the biggest concerns people have is that technology will replace humans. I think we’re far from that. The industry still runs on experience, instinct, and human judgment. Machines can process data, detect patterns, and automate repetitive tasks. Still, they cannot replace craftsmanship, relationships, or the intuition that comes from decades of working in the mills, yards, and shops.

Technology enhances what we do; it does not replace it. Technology frees people to focus on the work that truly requires skill, creativity, and attention.

So, while movies warned us that machines might take over one day, what we are finding instead is that technology is helping us take control of processes, profits, and our future. With people at the center and machines helping to do the heavy lifting, the hardwood industry is more innovative, stronger, and more capable than ever before, and the possibilities are truly remarkable.

I know what you’re thinking. “That sounds exactly like what a robot would say.”

John Hester

Chief Development Officer