{"id":98307,"date":"2026-06-24T10:35:57","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T14:35:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/?post_type=rbc_my_money_matter&#038;p=98307"},"modified":"2026-06-24T10:39:36","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T14:39:36","slug":"ai-in-action-carman-granite","status":"publish","type":"rbc_my_money_matter","link":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/business\/get-inspired\/business-success-stories\/ai-in-action-carman-granite\/","title":{"rendered":"Carved in Stone, Powered by AI: A Century-Old Family Business Embraces the Future\u00a0\u00a0#AIinAction"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"wp-block-rbc-section-block  pos-rel\" style=\"border-radius:0px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-rbc-section-inner-block  section-inner\" style=\"border-radius:0x\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-rbc-rbc-block drop-shadow pos-rel top-line-blue block-wpr\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-rbc-rbc-block-inner-block block-inner\">\n<h2 id=\"h-tldr\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">TLDR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-rbc-list is-style-blue-disc\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Carman Granite is a fourth-generation family business with over a century of expertise in the stone industry<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-rbc-list is-style-blue-disc\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Specializing in countertops and monuments, the business has evolved from its roots as a local monument shop into a high-capacity fabrication facility<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-rbc-list is-style-blue-disc\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the leadership of Sean Billing, Carman Granite is using AI to serve its customers with efficiency and empathy<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With workers hard to find in rural Manitoba, AI can fill some of the gaps and free the team from time-consuming admin<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Carman Granite has been in business since 1922, when Joseph Billing took over Carman Memorial from his uncle. In those days, stone arrived by boxcar and was hauled the last stretch by horse and sleigh \u2013 a trek far easier across winter snow and ice than over rough summer roads. The tools were hammers and chisels, and every customer came from the surrounding community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the years, the tools evolved \u2013 to sandblasting, to diamond etching, to laser \u2013 and cranes and forklifts replaced the horses. \u201cEvery generation has done a good job of growing and making it a better, current and more viable business,\u201d says Billing. &nbsp;He believes his great-grandfather would have been proud of how far Carman Granite has come \u2013 though he could never have pictured where it stands today: the oldest family-run business in Carman, Manitoba, using AI to serve the community it has called home for over a century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-an-old-trade-an-open-mind\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">An old trade, an open mind<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Increasingly, clients arrive at Carman Granite with a monument design already in hand \u2013 one they generated themselves using AI. It doesn\u2019t faze Billing in the least. \u201cThey get on ChatGPT, create their own design and come into the meeting to get it made,\u201d he says. \u201cI have some peers who don\u2019t like the idea, but I do. As long as the design is decent, we can create what they\u2019re looking for. To me, that\u2019s special.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That openness has led Billing to build a small but growing stack of AI tools, each doing a specific job \u2013 on both the artistic side of the business and the admin behind it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-rbc-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-rbc-list is-style-blue-disc\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nano Banana \u2013 monument design<\/strong><br>Billing and his team use this image-generation tool to turn a family\u2019s wishes into a monument design. A client might come in describing the things a loved one cared about, and Billing translates that into a custom image \u2013 often capturing something they couldn\u2019t quite put into words. Work that once meant hours in Photoshop now takes minutes.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>Airtable \u2013 admin and workflow<\/strong><br><\/strong>If Nano Banana powers the artistry, Airtable runs the operation behind it. \u201cWe have a great process, but it\u2019s very labour-intensive as far as the admin side goes,\u201d Billing says.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Inventory alerts<\/strong><br>The same system watches stock levels. If inventory is running low, it flags the shortage, suggests which supplier to order from and drafts the email. \u201cI just have to approve it and hit send,\u201d says Billing.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>Gmail summaries<\/strong><br><\/strong>\u201cI get way too many emails in a day,\u201d says Billing, who works on Google platforms. Built-in summaries let him read a handful of bullets and get up to speed on a long thread in seconds.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The payoff has the greatest impact on client communication. Because notifications now go out once a monument is set, families hear from Carman Granite right away \u2013 a meaningful change during an emotional time. \u201cThey\u2019re getting notified faster,\u201d Billing says. \u201cWith my old way of doing things, this could sit in my folder for a week if I got tied up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Billing, the case for using AI is simple. \u201cWhat I\u2019m able to offer people today is 100 times better than what I could do even a year ago \u2013 in terms of both artwork and administration. Why would I do 35 minutes of work when I can do five?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-staying-ahead-of-ai-capabilities\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Staying ahead of AI capabilities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"h-2-review-the-cyber-security-basics\">Billing is the first to admit he isn\u2019t trying to track every new tool himself. \u201cI\u2019m not sure I am staying on top of it,\u201d he says of trending AI. The pace is relentless \u2013 he points out that Nano Banana is considered the best image tool today, \u201cbut a week from now that could change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"h-2-review-the-cyber-security-basics\">Two things help him keep up on the latest capabilities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-rbc-list is-style-blue-disc\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>An AI consultant<\/strong>: Billing works with someone whose full-time job is building systems for businesses like his. \u201cHe\u2019s staying on top of everything, giving us great ideas and proposing a direction for us,\u201d says Billing. \u201cHe maps out next steps and tells us what the next piece will take off our plate.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Industry seminars<\/strong>: His trade group, the Canadian Monument Builders\/Ontario Monument Builders, has run seminars for years, but lately the focus has turned to technology \u2013 including sessions on how AI can help businesses. It\u2019s a sign of a generational shift, Billing notes, as the younger cohort takes the reins and appetite for these tools grows across a traditionally hands-on industry.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-part-that-won-t-be-automated\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The part that won\u2019t be automated<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For all the AI that Billing has adopted, there\u2019s one area he\u2019s resisting. His consultant has shown him automated phone attendants so convincing that callers can\u2019t tell they aren\u2019t speaking to a real person \u2013 but he\u2019s not interested. \u201cI\u2019m not ready for that, especially in our industry,\u201d he says. \u201cI think there still needs to be a personal touch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That same instinct applies to his staff.&nbsp; Billing still employs artists for work that calls for a human hand, and he\u2019s clear that AI hasn\u2019t reduced his need for staff. If anything, his constraint is finding workers \u2013 he has room for two more full-time people right now and can\u2019t fill the roles. From his perspective, AI isn\u2019t replacing workers, but rather helping make his business more efficient \u2013 so his team can spend time on the most meaningful work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More than a century in one community has taught Billing what keeps a business alive \u2013 the personal connection behind the work. \u201cWe\u2019re the oldest family-run business in our community. Our reputation means everything, and we protect that very closely. That is a large part of doing business in rural Manitoba.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Billing\u2019s daughter \u2013 the next generation \u2013 feels much the same way. At 20, she\u2019s working in the business alongside her father. And while she is proficient in AI, she prefers to work with her hands. \u201cShe\u2019s old school,\u201d Billing shares. It\u2019s a fitting continuity for a business that has always balanced tradition with progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-advice-for-reluctant-business-owners\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advice for reluctant business owners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"h-4-establish-a-family-safety-net\">Billing is candid about what has worked for him and offers practical advice for owners who may be hesitant about integrating AI into their businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-rbc-list is-style-blue-disc\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Start with strong processes<\/strong>. AI enhances a good process, but it won\u2019t fix a broken one. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have a good process already, AI is useless to you,\u201d says Billing. \u201cBut if you have a good process already and there is some repetition in your business, AI can really help to streamline your operation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Use it to learn it<\/strong>. The tools reward regular use. \u201cThe more you use it, the better it gets,\u201d says Billing \u2013 both because the tool learns your patterns and because you get better at asking it to complete tasks. He likens prompting AI to learning a new language \u2013 the clearer you get, the better the results.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-rbc-list-item\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lean on experts<\/strong>. You don\u2019t have to figure it out alone. A good consultant can do the heavy lifting of choosing and connecting tools, then point you to the next opportunity, freeing you to focus on running the business.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-s-next-for-carman-granite\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s next for Carman Granite<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Countertops make up 70 per cent of the business \u2013 a clear opportunity for the same efficiencies. Billing has deliberately held off on automating that side until he\u2019s confident the systems are solid. \u201cCountertops move at a much faster pace,\u201d he says. \u201cSo when I make the switch, I want to be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the meantime, Billing and the team are going to continue to automate their office work and keep learning more about the artistic capabilities of AI tools. \u201cAI will continue to play a larger role here. I think my staff is getting sick of hearing it, but we have to continue on this road, because the efficiencies we get from it are necessary in today\u2019s market,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plenty of Billing\u2019s peers want no part of AI. He sees the hesitation as fear of the unfamiliar more than anything else. \u201cThey don\u2019t know how Artificial Intelligence could actually help them. They think, \u2018we\u2019ve been doing it this way forever, why would I change now?\u2019 I\u2019m just not that guy. I feel that if you\u2019re not going to use it in the next few years, you\u2019re going to be so far behind that it will be hard to catch up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four generations in, the tools have changed beyond recognition \u2013 from chisel to laser to AI \u2013 but the instinct has stayed the same: every generation of Billings has found a way to move the business forward. This one is no different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-rbc-bright-blue-tint-4-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>AI is moving fast, and the pressure to adopt can feel overwhelming when you\u2019re also managing clients, cash flow and everything in between. Sometimes the best place to start is by learning from someone who\u2019s already been there. That\u2019s the idea behind&nbsp;<strong>AI in Action<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a series spotlighting Canadian small business owners who are putting AI to work in real, practical ways. Each story is a window into how a fellow entrepreneur made the leap, what they learned and what it\u2019s actually meant for their business.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rbc-rbc-default-collapsible\"><p><button class=\"collapse-toggle collapsed\" data-target=\"#collapse834a1009\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse834a1009\" data-dig-id=\"LP-57738-834a1009\" data-dig-category=\"LP\" data-dig-action=\"accordion closed\" action-closed=\"accordion closed\" action-opened=\"accordion open\" data-dig-label=\"Things our lawyers want you to know\"><span>Things our lawyers want you to know<\/span><span>Things our lawyers want you to know<\/span><\/button><\/p><div class=\"collapse-content collapse\" id=\"collapse834a1009\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-rbc-collapsible-inner-block collapse-inner\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article is intended as general information only and is not to be relied upon as constituting legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or any of its affiliates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Founded in 1922, Carman Granite is the oldest family-run business in its community. More than a century on, it\u2019s still moving with the times. It\u2019s latest step forward: AI.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":349,"featured_media":98309,"parent":57335,"menu_order":0,"template":"wp-custom-template-mmm-sticky-nav","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"tags":[157],"rbc_content_type":[31],"rbc_audience":[110],"rbc_lob_group":[71],"rbc_difficulty_level":[33],"rbc_mmm_category":[305,388,325,326,390],"class_list":["post-98307","rbc_my_money_matter","type-rbc_my_money_matter","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-entrepreneur","rbc_content_type-article","rbc_audience-business-owners","rbc_lob_group-investments","rbc_difficulty_level-beginner","rbc_mmm_category-business","rbc_mmm_category-business-success-stories","rbc_mmm_category-get-inspired","rbc_mmm_category-right-sized-business-advice","rbc_mmm_category-small-business"],"acf":{"contently_publication_id":"","custom_author":"Royal Bank of Canada","rbc_video_header":"","rbc_media_duration":"","rbc_video_keywords":"","rbc_video_description":"","rbc_video_upload_date":"","rbc_toc_for_mmm_tag":"h2","rbc_toc_for_mmm_limit":6,"rbc_toc_for_mmm":[{"title":"An old trade, an open mind","url":"#h-an-old-trade-an-open-mind"},{"title":"Staying ahead of AI capabilities","url":"#h-staying-ahead-of-ai-capabilities"},{"title":"The part that won\u2019t be automated","url":"#h-the-part-that-won-t-be-automated"},{"title":"Advice for reluctant business owners","url":"#h-advice-for-reluctant-business-owners"},{"title":"What\u2019s next for Carman Granite","url":"#h-what-s-next-for-carman-granite"}],"rbc_toc_for_mmm_action":"Generate Table Of Contents"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Founded in 1922, Carman Granite is the oldest family-run business in its community. More than a century on, it\u2019s still moving with the times. It\u2019s latest step forward: AI.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/business\/get-inspired\/business-success-stories\/ai-in-action-carman-granite\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Founded in 1922, Carman Granite is the oldest family-run business in its community. More than a century on, it\u2019s still moving with the times. 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