AI, Distilled
Real-world builds. New possibilities. A night above Little Rock.
Rock Town Distillery runs its production floor, its inventory, and its federal compliance on software it built itself. Not a prototype and not a demo. The working system of record for a regulated distillery, built with AI-assisted development by the people who run the business.
That’s the kind of story behind AI, Distilled. On Wednesday, October 21, join AI InTheRock and Phil Brandon, founder of Rock Town Distillery, for an evening of practical learning and community connection. We’re moving past what AI can write and into the decisions behind real business software: what to build, what to keep, and what it takes to make it useful.
And the setting is an event in itself: Skyline Event Venue, on the 30th floor of 400 West Capitol in downtown Little Rock (venue details). After a long closure, a full remodel, and new ownership, the room with the best views in the city is finally open again, and AI, Distilled is one of the first events to be held there. Useful ideas, new connections, and a very good reason to make a night of it.
Inside the builds
At the heart of Phil’s work is a bigger idea: build technology around the business, rather than reshaping the business around its software. Three projects offer three ways in.
A system built for the business. Rock Town’s custom ERP: how AI-assisted development changed the build-versus-buy decision, and what it took to go past a prototype into production workflows, inventory, and the monthly federal reporting a distillery lives under.
A new experience from existing assets. How an existing WordPress website became the foundation for native iPhone and Android apps, a different starting point for product development that begins with the content, systems, and workflows you already have.
AI running locally. A tool-using AI assistant on a Mac Studio, and the practical choices it forces: hardware, model performance, tools, and operational limits.
Together they point at a question more organizations should be asking: What could we build now that we would have ruled out before? The interesting part is how the answer changes when you start from a real business need.
Practical ideas, whatever your starting point
You don’t need a technical background or a project underway. Bring curiosity about what AI could make possible in your work.
Business owners and leaders: where might custom software solve a problem off-the-shelf tools don’t? Developers and technical teams: how do those business decisions translate into architecture and implementation? Marketers, creatives, and operators: what overlooked value is sitting in the assets and processes already around you?
The goal is not to leave with another list of tools. It’s to leave with better questions, concrete examples, and a clearer sense of what’s worth trying.
More than a presentation night
We’re making room for learning and celebration alike. Come meet the people exploring, building, and putting AI to work across Central Arkansas. Whether this is your first InTheRock event or you’ve been with us from the beginning. A room that’s been dark for years, lit up for a night about what’s next: come for the learning, stay for the conversations. This could be our most memorable night of the year.
Plan your evening
When: Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 5:00–7:30 p.m. Central
Where: Skyline Event Venue, 30th floor, 400 West Capitol, downtown Little Rock, the tower formerly known as the Regions Center
Featuring: Phil Brandon, founder of Rock Town Distillery
Parking: Free in the attached deck for event attendees
RSVP: Registration is open. Reserve your free spot.
Save the date and invite someone you’d enjoy exploring these ideas with. Let’s see what’s possible, together.