Description
For years, manufacturing has focused on the idea of a skills gap—the belief that we need more people trained to perform traditional tasks. But what if that assumption is limiting progress? What if the real challenge is a productivity gap—the growing difference between what skilled people are capable of and what current systems allow them to do? In this session, Al Whatmough, CEO of Toolpath, will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) and automation can shift the role of humans on the shop floor. Instead of replacing people, the opportunity is to empower them, automate the mundane, elevate decision making, and redesign work around human strengths. This session will spark a lively discussion about the future of manufacturing work. What roles will evolve? What skills will truly matter? And how can we build tools, workflows, and cultures that help people do their best work? Join the conversation and help shape what comes next.
Key Learnings
- Investigate the common assumption of a skills gap in manufacturing and explore the broader concept of a productivity gap.
- Discover how artificial intelligence and automation can augment human expertise rather than replace it.
- Examine the emerging roles and responsibilities in future manufacturing environments and discover what skills will actually matter.
- Engage in a discussion about how to build tools, teams, and cultures that support people in doing their most impactful work.