Ford has rehired more than 350 experienced engineers after finding that Ford AI quality systems could not match the expertise needed to maintain vehicle standards.
DETROIT: Ford is leaning back on human expertise after discovering that artificial intelligence alone could not deliver the level of quality it expected in vehicle production. The US carmaker has rehired more than 350 veteran engineers over the past three years, saying their experience has proved essential in improving Ford AI quality systems and overall manufacturing standards.
The company had introduced AI-powered tools across its operations, including quality inspections, hoping they would speed up processes and reduce costs. However, executives admitted the technology struggled to spot problems that experienced engineers could identify almost instinctively after years of working across multiple vehicle programmes.
Charles Poon, Ford’s Vice President of Vehicle Hardware Engineering, said the company underestimated the value of its most experienced engineers. “Artificial intelligence is a fantastic tool, but it’s only as good as the information you use to train it,” he said, adding that simply feeding design requirements into AI did not produce the high-quality results the company had expected.
The returning engineers, many known inside Ford as “gray beards”, now help review designs, mentor younger teams and improve the AI systems themselves by providing the knowledge the technology lacked. The shift reflects a growing recognition that AI works best when combined with decades of human experience rather than replacing it entirely.
Ford says the new approach is already paying off. The company recently topped the 2026 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study among mainstream brands for the first time in 16 years, while warranty and recall costs have also fallen. The experience has become a reminder that, despite rapid advances in technology, Ford AI quality still depends on the judgement, insight and practical know-how that only skilled engineers can provide.
