Future of Manufacturing Project: AI-Centric Factories of the Future

Thursday, December 5

8:00 a.m.   Welcome and Introductions

• Lauren Bisset, Event Emcee, National Association of Manufacturers

8:15 a.m.   Opening Address: The Growing Competition for AI Supremacy

• David R. Brousell, Founder, Vice President and Executive Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council

The potential of artificial intelligence to dramatically change society has sparked a worldwide competition for expertise in and development of AI systems. According to published estimates, global total AI investment rose to $142.3 billion in 2023, up from about $92 billion in 2022. The strong increase in spending is expected to continue as business and governments jockey for position in the race to dominate the market. For the manufacturing industry, the stakes could not be higher.

8:30 a.m.   Keynote: What’s Next for AI?

• Michael Bennett, Ph.D., Special Advisor to the Chancellor on Artificial Intelligence, Northeastern University

Predictions about the impact of AI on society range from the apocalyptic to the miraculous. Some fear an end to civilization while others see a future where AI augments the human experience in its many endeavors. For businesses, it is a time of high expectations, experimentation, and understanding the benefits and risks with AI. This session will explore the future of AI and its potential impact – how the technology may evolve, how it may impact the manufacturing industry, and how leaders should balance the opportunities and challenges with the technology.

Section 1 – Realizing Value

9:15 a.m.   Case Study: Overcoming Innovation Barriers with AI Across the Product Lifecycle

• Uyiosa Abusomwan, Ph.D., Senior Global Technology Manager, Digital Engineering, Eaton Corporation

As product complexity increases and sustainability requirements intensify, manufacturers face new roadblocks on the path to rapid innovation. Overcoming these challenges demands immediate, forward-thinking solutions—specifically, the integration of AI into product development. In this session, you’ll see how Eaton, a $20B leader in intelligent power management, is taking decisive steps to address these dynamics head-on. Attendees will gain insights into the actionable strategies and AI-driven outcomes Eaton is pursuing to navigate today’s demands while building for tomorrow’s AI-dependent factories.

9:45 a.m.   Panel Discussion: Rethinking Decision-Making Processes With AI

How will AI impact what is measured, how data is analyzed, and how this can lead to improved decision-making? This session will examine the interplay between decisions made by AI vs. those made by humans, the growing ability to make operational decisions in real time, and the impact that all of this will have on planning, forecasting, and business strategy for the short- and long-term.

• Wendy Collins, Chief AI Officer, NTT DATA
• Eric Danziger, Co-Founder and CEO, Invisible AI

Moderator: Penelope Brown, Senior Content Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council

10:15 a.m. Break in Virtual Content

10:40 a.m. Executive Interview: The Challenge and Opportunity of Scaling AI

From the first building blocks of a digital foundation to scaling solutions for automated problem-solving, there are many steps in between to deploying AI effectively and efficiently. This session will examine the multifaceted approach that Jabil has taken to move toward AI-enabled operations that monitor, predict, and automatically self-correct to enhance quality, efficiency, and productivity.

• Zohair Mehkri, Vice President, Engineering, Jabil
• Michal Wierzchowski, Vice President, Operations and Digital Transformation, Jabil

In conversation with: Steven Moskowitz, Ph.D., Senior Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council

Section 2 – Defining the Human Relationship

11:15 a.m.   Panel Discussion: How AI Empowers Manufacturing Ecosystems 

As manufacturing equipment and factories become more connected, there are more opportunities than ever to build holistic ecosystems that can leverage AI. What are these growing ecosystems, how should they be structured, and how can they impact the value that is generated through AI?

• John Dyck, Chief Executive Officer, CESMII, The Smart Manufacturing Institute
• Karl Hutter, Chief Executive Officer, Click Bond, Inc.
• Randal Kenworthy, Senior Partner, Commercial and Industrial Products, West Monroe
• Ali Shakouri, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, Purdue University

Moderator: Jeff Puma, Content Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council

12:00 p.m.   Panel Discussion: Lessons from Lean Leadership for an AI-Centric Future

While many manufacturers have established lean manufacturing or continuous improvement team, experience shows that true success requires more than just tools and processes on the shop floor – it demands a culture cultivated by strong lean leadership. The same will hold true for AI. To fully realize AI’s potential in manufacturing, leaders must go beyond simply adopting AI technologies and focus on cultivating AI-enabled leadership. This panel will discuss lessons learned from lean leadership and examine how they can inform the development of AI-enabled leadership for factories of the future.

• Gustavo Chohfil, Vice President, Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement, Cornerstone Building Brands
• Kevin Kozak, Global Senior Principal Operational Excellence Partner, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group
• Larry Megan, Head of Digtial, Baldwin Richardson Foods; Board of Governors, Manufacturing Leadership Council

Moderator: Steven Moskowitz, Ph.D., Senior Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council

12:30 p.m.   Break in Virtual Content

1:25 p.m.   Panel Discussion: The Impact of AI Regulations and Ethics on Manufacturing

As AI and GenAI usage continues to accelerate, there is a growing body of governmental regulations and ethical guidelines under development that could impact the technology’s deployment. This session will examine the AI regulations that manufacturers need to be aware of and plan for on a regional, national, and global level; ethical considerations for the workforce, customers, and more; and the role that manufacturers should play in defining future regulatory and ethical standards.

• Dean Bartles, President and CEO, Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group, Inc.; Board of Governors, Manufacturing Leadership Council
• Ron Castro, Vice President, Supply Chain, IBM; Board of Governors, Vice Chair, Manufacturing Leadership Council
• Franck Journoud, Senior Director, Technology Policy, National Association of Manufacturers

Moderator: Penelope Brown, Senior Content Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council

Section 3 – Reimagining Factories

2:00 p.m.   DARPA’s Breakthrough R&D in Materials Science and Manufacturing

• Andrew Detor, Ph.D., Metallurgist and Program Manager, Defense Sciences Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

The internet, the field of materials science and engineering, and stealth aircraft, to name a few breakthrough technologies, all started at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) years before launching into public awareness. Today, DARPA researchers are pursuing breakthroughs in novel materials and manufacturing technologies not just for tomorrow, but as seeds of surprise for decades to come. This session will highlight recent advances in machine learning to revolutionize the development and production of structural hardware. These include designing and building multi-material parts and developing real-time qualification methods for additive manufacturing. Discover the latest developments from DARPA and learn how you can help invent the future of manufacturing.

2:30 p.m.  The Role of AI in Achieving Autonomous Operations  

• Mark Sen Gupta, Director of Research, ARC Advisory Group

In an era defined by rapid technological advancements, the integration of AI has become paramount to achieving autonomous operations across various industries. This presentation by ARC Advisory Group will share how companies leading in the deployment of autonomous operations are leveraging AI technologies to revolutionize automation processes by enabling systems to perform complex tasks with minimal human intervention. By enhancing decision-making capabilities, improving efficiency, and reducing operational risks, AI is not only transforming traditional workflows but also paving the way for innovative solutions that promise to reshape the future of autonomous operations. This session will delve into the critical role AI plays in driving this transformative shift and the potential benefits it holds for manufacturing.

3:00 p.m. Case Study: AI at Scale in Manufacturing

• Anubhav Singh, Vice President, Data and Analytics, Global Supply Chain, Schneider Electric

AI at scale is transforming manufacturing by enhancing operational efficiency, improving product quality and enabling data-driven decision making in real time. To successfully scale these efforts, Schneider has established a solid data foundation along with clear data governance policies to maintain data integrity and security. By integrating intelligence with best-of-breed tools, Schneider has enabled closed-loop actions that optimize manufacturing processes. These intelligent systems continuously learn from data, allowing for predictive maintenance and adaptive control to reduce downtime and operational costs and foster innovation.

3:30 p.m.   Break in Virtual Content

3:55 p.m.  Fireside Chat: Integrating ESG and AI to Drive Manufacturing Success

As emphasis on ESG shifts from a ‘nice to have’ to an essential business imperative, manufacturers are moving beyond regulatory compliance to a better way of running businesses. To build AI-centered factories of the future, manufacturers must address two critical questions. First, how will AI impact the development, use, and scaling of ESG initiatives? Second, how will ESG principles shape the way AI is developed and deployed in manufacturing environments? This conversation will explore these questions and how AI and ESG intersect while offering actionable insights for integrating these priorities into today’s operations while preparing for tomorrow’s factories.

• Rebecca Teeters, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Fluoromaterial Stewardship and President, 3M Chemical Operations LLC, 3M; Board of Governors, Manufacturing Leadership Council

In conversation with: Steven Moskowitz, Ph.D., Senior Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council

4:30 p.m.   Panel Discussion: Evaluating Future Scenarios

AI will play a critical role in manufacturing’s future, but the specifics of that role are still to be determined. This panel will reflect on the ideas and insights shared throughout the day and discuss (at least) two possible AI-centric futures – AI-driven lights-out factories and AI-enabled, human-partnered factories. What do these scenarios mean for small/medium vs. large manufacturers? Is there a decision point at which manufacturers must choose one of those future scenarios? And what should manufacturers do today to prepare for the future?

• Brian Legan, Partner | Industrials and Energy Group Innovation Leader, EY
• Sachin Misra, Field CTO and Digital Principal, Kalypso, a Rockwell Automation business
• Parthiv Shah, Managing Director - Business Transformation Leader, Accenture

Moderator: David R. Brousell, Founder, Vice President and Executive Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council

5:00 p.m.   Capstone: Creating Manufacturing’s AI-Centric Future

As we have explored throughout the day, the future of manufacturing is a dynamic landscape full of untapped opportunities. AI will be at the heart of this transformation – shaping the industry in ways we can already envision and ways we have yet to consider. This final session will build on the day’s insights to examine the manufacturing organization of the future. How will ecosystems, supply networks, and traditional boundaries between innovation and production evolve? What changes will we see in leadership structure, from the factory floor to the C-suite? Guided by MLC’s mission to help senior executives shape a better future for their organizations and the industry, we will explore how manufacturers can lead the way forward

Moderator: Will Bonifant, Vice President, Manufacturing, Operations Technology and Supply Chain Strategy, The Hershey Company

Moderator: Michael Bennett, Ph.D., Special Advisor to the Chancellor on Artificial Intelligence, University of Illinois

Moderator: Steven Moskowitz, Ph.D., Senior Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council

5:30 p.m.   The Future of Manufacturing Project Event Concludes