Bridging the Chemical Expertise Gap: How AI is Transforming Technical Sales

In the ever-evolving world of chemical and materials sales, deep technical knowledge has always been the backbone of successful commercial teams. But with experienced professionals retiring in large numbers, the industry is facing a growing expertise gap. In this episode of Nesh Talks, we dive into how generative AI is stepping in to help fill that void.

Jacqueline Wasem, Head of Marketing at Nesh, is joined by Brendan Boyd, a seasoned R&D leader in the chemical industry, and Sidd Gupta, Founder & CEO of Nesh. Together, they explore the impact of the "silver tsunami" on sales motions, how AI can capture and scale expert knowledge, and how commercial teams can adopt this technology effectively.

Catch the video or check out the transcript below!

How Retiring Experts Are Changing the Sales Landscape

Jacqueline Wasem: Welcome back to Nesh Talks, our series where we explore how AI is transforming sales in the chemical and materials industry.

I'm Jacqueline Wasem, Head of Marketing at Nesh. TToday we’re diving into a critical challenge: how the shift in industry expertise, especially with experienced professionals retiring, is reshaping technical sales.

Generative AI is emerging as a powerful tool to bridge this knowledge gap. But what does that really look like in practice?

To break it down, I’m joined by Brendan Boyd, an R&D leader with deep industry expertise, and Sidd Gupta, Founder and CEO of Nesh. Let’s get started.

Jacqueline: Brendan, can you kick us off by sharing how the retirement of chemical experts is affecting chemical sales motions?

Brendan Boyd: It’s a huge issue. Leaders are seeing decades of subject matter expertise walk out the door, and it’s not just sales or R&D — it’s also product management, regulatory, supply chain, and all the functions that support sales.

Succession planning isn’t always possible for every position, and that loss of embedded knowledge can be incredibly disruptive.

How Generative AI Captures and Scales Institutional Knowledge

Brendan: Sidd, how do you think AI can help minimize this knowledge loss?

Sidd Gupta: Great question. We’ve looked at data from about 100 specialty chemical companies and found a direct correlation: the more technical experts a company has, the more revenue each sales rep tends to generate.

That confirmed our thesis — sales teams perform better when they’re backed by deep expertise.

So we asked: can AI provide that expertise, at scale, in real time?

With Nesh Sales AI, our idea is to give salespeople access to a “virtual expert” that can support them with product and technical knowledge on demand.

But we’re also careful — especially in chemicals, where relationships are everything. AI shouldn't replace the human connection; it should strengthen it.

Trust, Accuracy, and the Role of Human Validation in AI

Brendan: Exactly. Especially in specialty chemicals, products come with nuanced value propositions. Salespeople learn these over years. Capturing and sharing that knowledge is critical.

But AI output quality can vary — how do you ensure what the AI says is actually correct?

Sidd: We saw early on that trust was a blocker. Salespeople didn’t want to risk sharing something inaccurate with a customer.

So we flipped the onboarding flow: first, we onboard subject matter experts. They test the AI, validate its responses, and provide feedback.

Then, when sales reps come in and see that responses are “expert-verified,” their confidence goes way up.

How Chemical Sales Teams Use AI in the Field

Brendan: Interesting. And how do reps usually interact with the AI — text, voice, chat?

Sidd: It’s usually a mix. Salespeople don’t typically use Nesh live in front of customers. Instead, they’ll ask questions in the car, from their phone, or once they’re back at the office.

And because many reps are working globally—in China, Thailand, Malaysia, Europe — language can be a barrier.

That’s where multilingual AI really shines. It allows them to ask questions in their native language and get instant answers.

Using AI to Support New Reps and Reduce the Learning Curve

Brendan: Right. Asking for help can be hard, so being able to “talk to the AI” first and have a more productive conversation with a human expert later is really valuable. It saves time and builds confidence.

Jacqueline: That’s especially true for new sales reps ramping up on complex materials and portfolios. Any final thoughts on AI as a training tool?

Brendan: I think of the AI as a 24/7 training assistant. The learning curve for new reps in specialty chemicals is steep. AI complements traditional onboarding by being available anytime they need help — even if it’s after hours.

Sidd: Absolutely. As a startup founder leading our own software sales motion, I’ve come to respect how complex chemical sales really are. Reps aren’t selling just one product — they’re selling thousands.

If we can help make that job even a little easier, it’s a huge win. We’re excited about how much quantifiable value AI can bring to commercial teams.

Jacqueline: Excellent. That wraps up today’s episode on bridging the gap between chemical expertise and sales with AI.

A big thanks to Brendan Boyd and Sid Gupta for joining me and sharing their insights. Until next time, thanks for tuning in to Nesh Talks.

Scaling Chemical & Materials Sales AI

The retirement of experienced professionals is creating a significant knowledge gap in the chemical industry. But as this Nesh Talks episode shows, AI — when thoughtfully implemented — can preserve that institutional knowledge and deliver it to commercial teams exactly when they need it.

Whether it’s training new reps, supporting global sales teams, or scaling expertise across regions, the opportunity to blend human connection with AI support is here.

To learn more about how Sales AI can help your team navigate this shift, check out our Ultimate Guide to AI in Chemicals.