Karmak unveiled new artificial intelligence capabilities for its Fusion and Blaze platforms and touted how it is using AI to strengthen its business intelligence and operational capabilities last week during Karmak Conference & Expo 2026, held at Union Station Hotel in St. Louis, Mo.
Held under the theme ‘Count On It,’ Karmak states it annual user conference brought together customers, industry partners and Karmak employee owners for three days of education, product innovation and industry collaboration.
During the opening general session, Karmak President and CEO Jim Allen explored the evolving role of artificial intelligence in business, drawing on insights from his recent completion of an MIT executive education program focused on technology leadership and AI.
Allen addressed opportunities and challenges surrounding AI adoption, including cybersecurity, governance and the importance of identifying meaningful business problems before investing in emerging technology.
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“There’s certainly no shortage of excitement surrounding artificial intelligence, but excitement alone doesn’t build a better business,” said Allen. “One of my biggest takeaways from MIT was surprisingly simple: start with the business problem, then determine whether AI is the right solution. Don’t buy the technology and go looking for a problem to solve.”
Karmak says its new AI resources were built with that guidance in mind — tools to provide solutions to everyday challenges.
Karmak iQ is an AI-powered analytics and business intelligence solution for Fusion, while Ember is an AI assistant designed to help Blaze users access information, navigate workflows and gain operational insights.
Bringing AI powered business Intelligence to Fusion
Karmak iQ is a revolutionary tool that connects to live Fusion data, providing interactive dashboards, advanced analytics and conversational AI capabilities without relying on manual exports or overnight data processing. The tool also uses Richard, the company’s AI-powered analytical assistant that enables users to ask business questions in natural language and receive contextual answers based on their Fusion data.
Karmak says key capabilities highlighted during the conference include:
- Live Fusion Data: Access current operational information without waiting for scheduled exports, overnight processing, or manually generated reports.
- Built-In Security and Governance: Existing Fusion user permissions, including branch-level access restrictions, carry forward into Karmak iQ.
- Conversational AI with Richard: Ask business questions in natural language and explore results without specialized reporting knowledge or complex prompts.
- Advanced Business Analytics: Explore interactive dashboards, operating ratios, and approximately 60 key operating variables across business functions.
- Self-Service Intelligence: Investigate trends, refine analyses, and answer follow-up questions without relying on traditional reporting requests or technical resources.
“What we’ve heard consistently from our customers is they want their data to be easier to access, easier to understand, and easier to put to work,” says Allen. “They shouldn’t have to run three different reports, combine spreadsheets and wait for someone else to tell them what’s happening in their business.”
Karmak states Karmak iQ is designed to help business leaders and operational teams explore performance, identify trends and make informed decisions using information already available in Fusion, while maintaining existing user permissions and security controls. In launching Karmak iQ, the company also introduced a limited-availability Charter Program for the first 25 participating customers, offering introductory pricing and additional access to Richard AI capabilities.
Bolstering AI capabilities for Blaze customers
Karmak also introduced Ember, an AI-powered assistant designed for its Blaze business management system, during last week’s event.
Combining knowledge of Blaze workflows with access to permitted operational data, Ember enabless users to interact with the system through natural language. The assistant is designed to help users learn system functionality, retrieve information, generate reports and identify business trends.
“Whether a customer operates on Fusion or Blaze, our philosophy remains the same. We want technology that makes their people better at what they do, reduces unnecessary complexity and helps them make better business decisions,” Allen says. “AI should be working for our customers, not creating more work for them.”
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Both solutions reflect Karmak’s approach to AI development, the company adds, emphasizing practical business applications, appropriate security and governance and technology that supports human decision-making.
Leadership, industry collaboration also highlighted
Finally, the conference also featured Campfire Leadership, a keynote conversation between Allen and Drew Hettich, president and COO of Wiers and a Bronze Star recipient for his military service in Iraq.
Drawing on experiences from his deployment to Ramadi, Iraq, Hettich explored the importance of adaptability, maintaining perspective under pressure and building teams capable of responding when circumstances change.
Attendees also participated in educational sessions developed from customer feedback, including dedicated programming for Fusion and Blaze users, along with opportunities to engage directly with Karmak product experts and industry partners. Throughout the week, Karmak highlighted continued development across its broader portfolio, including mobile service solutions, scheduling and connected workflows designed to support commercial vehicle businesses.
“Our customers count on us to listen, innovate, solve problems and continue getting better,” says Allen. “That is a responsibility we take seriously. What excites me most isn’t simply what we announced this week. It’s what we’re building together and the opportunities ahead for this incredible industry.”
The Karmak Conference & Expo 2027 will return to Union Station Hotel in St. Louis from Oct. 19-21, 2027.
