Ford rehires experienced engineers after AI misses the mark

[riversedge]

Source: foxbusiness.com



Published June 29, 2026 12:44pm EDT

By Eric Revell

Ford has rehired experienced human engineers to help address the shortcomings of artificial intelligence (AI) tools meant to tackle quality issues in the automaker's production processes.

The hiring push helped Ford top the JD Power 2026 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS) for the first time since 2010 amid improvements in the quality of its new vehicles, and follows some hard-learned lessons about the ability of AI to replace human knowledge in production processes.

"Artificial intelligence is a fantastic tool, but it's only as good as the information you use to train it," Charles Poon, Ford's vice president of vehicle hardware engineering, said on a press call Wednesday, according to a report by Bloomberg.

"Over prior years, we didn't pay as much attention as we should have to the experience of our most knowledgeable engineers that have been with us through many product cycles," he said.

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Read more: https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/ford-rehires-experienced-engineers-after-ai-misses-mark

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[turbinetree]

1. Ya think..................

[FakeNoose]

2. Now's the time to unionize

AI was always going to fail ... always.

[Wonder Why]

3. They replaced the wrong people with AI. Should have replaced the idiot execs.

[patphil]

4. Firing people from critical jobs isn't a very bright idea.

Before doing something as precipitous as replacing their engineers with AI, they might have had an extended trial to see if it would work.
As it is, it hasn't been proven that AI can replace critical thinking skills. Not to mention the decades of experience their human workers had.
I guess the dream of a worker free factory isn't much more than that; actually more of a nightmare.
Ford just paid a steep price for stupidity.

[IronLionZion]

5. Deport AI for stealing our jobs

[pat_k]

6. The hyped ROI will never materialize

I've noticed more and more articles about AI failures are focused on "they just didn't do it right" as if the hyped ROI is possible if they get the right "leadership" or right "processes."

How long before the reality that AI is a risky proposition that has more downside than upside risk sinks in?

Seems to me reality is starring them in the face. Our entire economy is basically an all-in bet on AI and instead of backing off, they are doubling down.

July 2025
MIT Study finds that 95% of AI initiatives at companies fail to turn a profit
https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Business_2025_Report.pdf

May 2026
81% of Enterprise Technology Leaders Report Production Failures from AI-Generated Code, New Research Shows
https://www.cloudbees.com/newsroom/enterprise-technology-leaders-report-production-failures-from-ai-generated-code

[sakabatou]

7. Everyone knew this would happen at some point

[Fil1957]

8. Unfortunately, this is only temporary. Sooner or later AI will get good enough to replace the engineers permanently.

[paleotn]

10. And nuclear fusion will power our homes and warp drive will be a reality.

Nope.

On edit... Commercial nuclear fusion has been "5 to 10 years away" since I had a full head of hair and was fresh out of undergrad. That's approaching half a century ago.

[Random Boomer]

18. The gains are slowing down, not speeding up

Each new iteration of AI is resulting in smaller gains, not larger ones. There are inherent limitations to what a Large Language Model can do, because it fundamentally lacks critical judgment.

As a tool, wielded by a person with knowledge of their field and an understanding of what AI can and can't do, AI really can be helpful. It increases the productivity of a good employee. Trying to replace that employee with AI is the fevered dream of CEOs, but it's a really poor executive decision.

[hunter]

19. Nobody knows what intelligence is yet.

This technology is a poor imitation.

If it's not already, it will soon be apparent that this is a dead end on the quest for an actual artificial intelligence.

[paleotn]

9. And what have I been saying for months now.

[Maj. Dude]

11. If you want...

a steady mechanics job, work on Fords. It's steady enough until one gets burned out on fixing those POS.
I had to drive Ford fleet trucks for years because they were the cheapest bids that our local government people would buy.
We never had too many issues with the older GM & Dodge P/U's that got the award winning bids.
There is a reason that FoMoCo can claim 'best selling'. Cheap is cheap.

[Delarage]

17. Maybe some newer ones....

But my 2000 Ford truck keeps on keepin' on. No real issues. Plus, I have I know a young guy (engineering major now working for Amazon) who buys nothing but Ford trucks and Mustangs (he has a Mustang addiction). He buys beat up ones, rebuilds them, and sells them again. And I mean seriously beat up......

That being said.......I hope engineers start to build cars that are easier to work on. My almost 30-year-old vehicles are a joy to maintain (tune-ups, etc.) and can easily be done in the driveway. I look at my friends' new cars and almost nothing is easy.

I'd go extreme---make decorative access panels, etc. But you shouldn't have to take 5 things off to get to the one thing that will likely need service.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

12. I always though AI was overrated

[Initech]

13. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!

[mtngirl47]

14. I hope they negotiated BIG raises. n/t

[NBachers]

15. A bit off the mark

[2naSalit]

16. May this be...

Th pin that bursts the bubble!

I sure hope it is.

[mdbl]

20. I foresee a day when AI purposely builds unsafe vehicles

easy way to get rid of the biological organisms.