Ford pulls back AI quality checks, rehiring over 300 engineers
Ford tried going all in on AI for quality checks, even installing 900 cameras, but by mid-2026, it just wasn't cutting it.
So, Ford rehired over 300 engineers (yes, even some who'd left), with COO Kumar Galhotra openly saying the AI results "had not been getting the results it hoped for."
Now, the company is putting its trust back in human expertise.
Ford engineers refine AI, costs decline
These returning engineers are now fine-tuning Ford's AI tools and helping spot problems before they become big issues.
The company has also made regular meetings a must for catching "failure points" early.
As Mike Levine put it, blending smart tech with experienced people is making a real difference, and it's already paying off: warranty and recall costs are down, and Ford just topped the J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey as the top mainstream brand in June 2026.