Ford hires 300+ engineers, “AI is only as good as the people using it”

Ford has hired more than 300 experienced engineers, including former employees, after finding that artificial intelligence alone could not deliver the level of quality the automaker was seeking, according to People.

The move comes despite the company’s broad investment in AI across its manufacturing operations in recent years.

AI meets limits

According to People, citing Bloomberg, Ford Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra said the company was not achieving the results it expected after increasing its reliance on AI systems.

Over the past three years, Ford has hired around 350 veteran engineers to help improve its AI tools and mentor younger staff.

“They hunt for failure points before a part ever reaches the plant floor,” Galhotra said, according to Bloomberg.

Human expertise

Mike Levine, Ford Blue’s director of product, quality and safety and supply chain communications, said AI remains an important tool but cannot replace experienced engineers.

“AI is a powerful tool for catching potential quality issues but it’s only as good as the people using it,” Levine said.

He added that combining AI with decades of engineering experience helps identify potential problems early while training the next generation of engineers.

Quality improves

According to People, Bloomberg also quoted Ford Vice President Charles Poon as saying the company had previously failed to place enough emphasis on experienced engineers.

CEO Jim Farley said lower warranty and recall costs are already delivering significant savings, while Ford recently ranked as the top mainstream brand in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey.

“Many doubted that an American company with a huge American workforce could compete with the world’s best on quality, let alone reach the top,” Farley said.

Sources: People, Bloomberg

This article is made and published by Lauge Risom Koch, who may have used AI in the preparation