One of my most memorable lessons in the machine shop came from John “Blackie” Armstrong. I was but a few weeks on the job when he leaned over and said, “It doesn’t matter how you do it, just be sure you do it the same way every time.”

For leaders in high–mix, low–volume manufacturing—whether in engineering, procurement, IT or the C–suite—AI is no longer a futuristic concept: It’s a strategic imperative. These businesses must successfully operationalize the use of AI if they want to remain competitive. The linchpin of AI transformation? Unlocking the massive troves of unstructured data buried in legacy systems—handwritten notes, scanned drawings, supplier emails, PDFs and tribal knowledge—that conventional data strategies leave hidden.

Ask any small manufacturer what happens if they lose their best machinist. Production stops, customer orders sit waiting and finding someone with the skills to replace them takes weeks—maybe months.

One of my most memorable lessons in the machine shop came from John “Blackie” Armstrong. I was but a few weeks on the job when he leaned over and said, “It doesn’t matter how you do it, just be sure you do it the same way every time.”

For leaders in high–mix, low–volume manufacturing—whether in engineering, procurement, IT or the C–suite—AI is no longer a futuristic concept: It’s a strategic imperative. These businesses must successfully operationalize the use of AI if they want to remain competitive. The linchpin of AI transformation? Unlocking the massive troves of unstructured data buried in legacy systems—handwritten notes, scanned drawings, supplier emails, PDFs and tribal knowledge—that conventional data strategies leave hidden.

Ask any small manufacturer what happens if they lose their best machinist. Production stops, customer orders sit waiting and finding someone with the skills to replace them takes weeks—maybe months.

One of my most memorable lessons in the machine shop came from John “Blackie” Armstrong. I was but a few weeks on the job when he leaned over and said, “It doesn’t matter how you do it, just be sure you do it the same way every time.”

For leaders in high–mix, low–volume manufacturing—whether in engineering, procurement, IT or the C–suite—AI is no longer a futuristic concept: It’s a strategic imperative. These businesses must successfully operationalize the use of AI if they want to remain competitive. The linchpin of AI transformation? Unlocking the massive troves of unstructured data buried in legacy systems—handwritten notes, scanned drawings, supplier emails, PDFs and tribal knowledge—that conventional data strategies leave hidden.

Ask any small manufacturer what happens if they lose their best machinist. Production stops, customer orders sit waiting and finding someone with the skills to replace them takes weeks—maybe months.

One of my most memorable lessons in the machine shop came from John “Blackie” Armstrong. I was but a few weeks on the job when he leaned over and said, “It doesn’t matter how you do it, just be sure you do it the same way every time.”

For leaders in high–mix, low–volume manufacturing—whether in engineering, procurement, IT or the C–suite—AI is no longer a futuristic concept: It’s a strategic imperative. These businesses must successfully operationalize the use of AI if they want to remain competitive. The linchpin of AI transformation? Unlocking the massive troves of unstructured data buried in legacy systems—handwritten notes, scanned drawings, supplier emails, PDFs and tribal knowledge—that conventional data strategies leave hidden.

Ask any small manufacturer what happens if they lose their best machinist. Production stops, customer orders sit waiting and finding someone with the skills to replace them takes weeks—maybe months.