Flooring groups on Facebook can be a great help for anyone in the trade looking for advice. At the same time, posting a question in a group can open you up to a “darker part” of social media, says Ken Ballin of West Creek, N.J.-based Skyro Floors. “There can be a lot of criticism and negative energy,” Ballin says. As an administrator of multiple flooring groups on Facebook, Ballin has dedicated a lot of time to giving advice, answering questions and monitoring posts. When ChatGPT gained widespread attention in 2023 for its AI capabilities, it gave Ballin an idea for a way to help pros ask questions without the chance of backlash. He launched ballinknowsbest.com, a site that uses a “guided AI” system to answer technical questions—meaning Ballin and other experienced pros can monitor the AI’s answers in real time and adjust them if needed. “The AI learns and it improves as we guide it,” Ballin says. Ballin hopes it can become a useful forum for the industry and also a less intimidating way for younger pros to find answers. “The main focus of the project is benefitting the installer, and creating that legacy that can be developed after we’re long gone,” Ballin says.
