Ford rehires 300 inspectors after AI falls short on quality control

Ford has rehired more than 300 veteran quality inspectors after determining that its AI-driven automated systems were unable to replicate the experience and judgement of seasoned human engineers, according to information provided by the company.

The carmaker had previously expanded the use of artificial intelligence across its industrial operations, including the deployment of 900 AI-powered cameras in factories designed to identify defects at the source and reduce supply chain disruptions, says the BBC.

Ford executives later said they had overestimated the capabilities of the technology, believing that simply "ingesting design requirements" into an AI system would produce high-quality outcomes without the expertise of experienced technicians.

A key issue identified by the company was that many experienced engineers had departed before their "hard-earned wisdom" could be incorporated into machine learning systems used for quality control and manufacturing processes.

Charles Poon, Ford's vice-president of vehicle hardware engineering, said AI remained a powerful tool but that its performance depended on the quality of the information used to train it.

Ford has assigned the rehired inspectors to mentor younger employees and help provide training intended to improve the performance of the company's automation and AI systems.

The move formed part of a broader "talent refresh" effort that also included changes in senior leadership roles across Ford's engineering, supply chain and manufacturing divisions.

Following the restructuring and quality initiatives, Ford achieved the highest ranking among mainstream US automakers in the JD Power Initial Quality Study, marking the first time the company had reached the position since 2010.