Sean O’Meara is CIO of Monticello, Indiana-based heavy-duty generator and power enclosure maker Girtz Industries, and Jason Ryska is director of manufacturing technology development at one of the big Detroit Three, Ford Motor Company.

Smart Industry’s Scott Achelpohl moderated a question-and-answer session with O’Meara and Ryska at IndustryWeek’s end-of-June Operations Leadership Summit in Indianapolis, and since the chat was all about artificial intelligence applications in manufacturing, SI is bringing it to you as part of our group’s “Great Question” series.

Sean will say he knows a lot about what Girtz Industries does, but he’ll also say he’s their IT guy, meaning it’s his job to support the real experts, the engineers and manufacturing people who make it possible to do what Girtz does. He has helped Girtz overhaul its IT landscape, encompassing system integrations, network enhancements, and the adoption of robust platforms.

As the “IT guy,” part of his life has been all about AI, and how he can help Girtz leverage the use of AI in advancing its business processes and manufacturing processes. And he’s been a regular speaker at our industry conferences lately on the topic of how AI to the factory floor, including the just-concluded Operations Leadership Summit.

Jason and his team serve as intermediaries between technology companies and the automaker. His team looks at what problems need solving, the available technology and whether a technology initiative ties into Ford's larger objectives and business plan. Jason has almost 30 years of experience in automotive manufacturing.