Ford leans on its greybeards as AI proves imperfect on the factory floor
Ford cut about 5,000 jobs since 2020 due to automation, but has rehired roughly 350 veteran engineers—the so-called “greybeards”—to augment AI-driven design and manufacturing checks after AI systems showed notable gaps. executives say AI is powerful but only as good as the data and expertise behind it, underscoring the enduring value of human experience on the factory floor.