In this episode of People B4 Machines, host Amanda Cupido spoke with me about how North American manufacturers can navigate uncertainty by building resiliency rather than chasing the illusion of certainty. Their conversation centers on smarter automation and AI adoption, workforce enablement, tackling technical debt, and taking a strategic approach to reshoring. Adopt Automation and AI Bowers emphasizes that automation and AI are not new to manufacturing, but they remain significantly underused. Technologies like predictive maintenance, robotics, digital twins, and AI-driven analytics have existed for years, yet adoption has lagged due to legacy systems and risk-averse mindsets. He argues that the current AI “hype cycle” should be leveraged strategically: manufacturers should pursue focused, goal-driven pilots that solve real problems, rather than waiting for perfect conditions. Foundational steps, especially connecting equipment to the cloud, unlock data that is often more valuable than the machines themselves and enable smarter automation over time. IMTS Exhibitors like ZEISS (IMTS booth #134302) offer AI-driven automation for industrial inspection to boost efficiency, featuring tools like ZEISS INSPECT software, automated 3D X-ray, and robotic scan systems. These solutions reduce manual labor through automated defect detection, robotic path planning, and, in some cases, automated part loading/unloading. Enable Your Workforce A recurring theme is workforce empowerment. Bowers stresses that automation is not about replacing people but augmenting them, particularly in an environment where hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs remain unfilled. Enabling frontline workers with modern tools improves consistency, safety, and productivity, while allowing employees to focus on higher-value work. However, this only succeeds when supported by a top-down cultural shift. Executives must clearly communicate a digital strategy, align incentives, and fund transformation efforts, rather than delegating change entirely to the factory floor. Tackle Technical Debt Technical debt presents a major barrier to progress, especially for small and mid-sized manufacturers operating with aging, disconnected equipment. Bowers advocates addressing this head-on by modernizing incrementally, engaging technology suppliers as partners, and using available tax incentives to offset the costs of experimentation. He warns that automating broken processes only magnifies inefficiencies, making process improvement a prerequisite for digital transformation. (The One Big Beautiful Bill Act strengthens investment conditions by reinstating and making permanent 100% bonus depreciation for qualified assets, including manufacturing equipment, machinery, and facilities, as well as doubling the Section 179 small business expensing cap, from $1.25 million to $2.5 million.) Reshore Strategically Finally, on reshoring, Bowers urges clarity and realism. Bringing production closer to home can reduce lead times, improve resilience, and support national security and local economies. Still, it must be paired with automation to offset higher labor costs and skill shortages. Greenfield investments, in particular, offer opportunities to embed modern technology from the start. Ultimately, Bowers frames uncertainty as a catalyst: manufacturers that adapt forward — rather than trying to control every variable — will be best positioned to thrive. Action Items Watch on You Tube or listen at People B4 Machines. Register for IMTS 2026, Sept. 14-19, at McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill., and experience new manufacturing technologies firsthand, connect with industry experts who are solving real-world challenges, and expand your network across the manufacturing ecosystem. Connect with AMT’s Research Team to uncover opportunities and prepare for what’s coming by submitting a research request.
Smarter automation and AI, empowered workers, reduced technical debt, and strategic reshoring are practical approaches to help manufacturers move forward with confidence in a recent episode of the podcast People B4 Machines.
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