“If AI is overhyped, automation is completely underhyped. As automation advances and becomes more precise and durable and solves new challenges, AI is augmenting these systems by adding flexibility and autonomy.” 

While we’ve not quite moved past the hype curve, AI technology today is quickly reshaping how factories and warehouses operate. In this special episode of the Manufacturing Matters podcast, TECH B2B Marketing’s Jimmy Carroll is joined by Melonee Wise, chief product officer of software and AI at KUKA; Juan Aparicio, founder and CEO of Reshape Automation; and Adi Dalvi, vice president of sales at OSARO, to discusses how AI is adding value to automation today, as well as what to expect in the future and what issues still need to be addressed. Together, they explore how AI adds flexibility to automation systems, from pick-and-place to AI agents that support problem solving and beyond. 

The panel also covers physical AI, the importance of simulation and digital twins, the growing importance of data collection and alignment, and safety hurdles for humanoids and autonomous mobile robots. Additional topics include AI’s impact on jobs, why practical and well-defined use cases are winning over flashy demos, and major trends to expect over the next few years. 

Read the transcript: https://manufacturing-matters.com/episode-127-ai-panel-discussion-at-2026-a3-business-forum/
Learn more about KUKA: https://www.kuka.com/ 
Learn more about Reshape Automation: https://www.reshapex.com/en 
Learn more about OSARO: https://www.osaro.com/ 
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#manufacturing #automation #manufacturingmatters #techb2b #AI #robotics #automation #physicalai

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“The whole dialogue has shifted from what can it do to when it will and how do we scale it?” 

Humanoid robotics technology is slowly but surely moving into real-world deployment. The excitement behind humanoids is just one of several hot topics in robotics discussed on this special episode of the Manufacturing Matters podcast. 

In this episode, TECH B2B Marketing’s Jimmy Carroll sits down with a powerhouse panel of robotics and technology leaders to unpack what’s actually happening in the industry right now — and what’s coming next. Joe Gemma, CEO of Integrion Automation; Dr. Daniel Lau, professor and director of graduate studies in engineering at the University of Kentucky; and Robert Little, chief of robotics strategy at Novanta Inc., share candid insights on investments into U.S. manufacturing and the impact this will have on robotics and automation technologies as companies continue to navigate the labor shortage. They also discuss physical AI, humanoid safety and potential applications, digital twins and simulations, mergers and acquisitions, and how automation technology overall continues to evolve and advance.  

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The world has seen its fair share of supply chain challenges for several years now. Where historically supply chain management has been all too reactive, artificial intelligence (AI) is enabling a more proactive approach. “AI’s role in supply chain resilience is really about turning uncertainty into intelligence,” says Vaidy Raghavan, chief product and technology officer for Xometry. 

Providing an on-demand manufacturing marketplace that connects businesses with vetted production services gives Xometry incredible insight into a range of manufacturing trends around the world. So, for this episode of Manufacturing Matters, Raghavan joined TECH B2B Marketing’s Aaron Hand and Dan McCarthy to talk about how AI is changing the face of supply chain management, reshoring, and trade uncertainties — moving from reactive to proactive, automating decisions, and leveling the playing field. Small and medium-sized manufacturers can operate with the same level of intelligence and agility that was once reserved for larger players, Raghavan notes. 

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/T76r-RtYpmw 

Read the transcript: https://www.manufacturing-matters.com/episode-125-vaidy-raghavan-chief-product-and-technology-officer 

Learn more about Xometry: https://www.xometry.com/ 

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#manufacturing #automation #manufacturingmatters #techb2bmarketing #supplychain #artificialintelligence #ai #supplychainmanagement

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Inspired by self-driving cars, Ati Motors’ autonomous mobile robots not only break free of the magnetic tape of older-generation AGVs but also break free of the straight lines and predictable grids of warehouse work. Combining tires and suspensions that can handle mechanical challenges with 3D lidar, high-precision mapping, and artificial intelligence to provide autonomy, these AMRs are venturing into real-world manufacturing environments. They’re dealing with challenging curves, uneven floors, bad lighting, metal gratings, oil slicks — you name it.

While showing off several of the company’s Sherpa AMRs at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, Ati Motors’ founder and CEO Saurabh Chandra sat down with TECH B2B Marketing’s Winn Hardin to explain how new technologies are tackling old factories with mobile robots and humanoids built from the ground up.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ndYik5XgFlM

Read the transcript: https://www.manufacturing-matters.com/episode-124-saurabh-chandra-founder-ceo-of-ati-motors

Connect with Winn Hardin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/winn-hardin-techb2b/

Connect with Saurabh Chandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saurabhchandra/

Learn more about TECH B2B Marketing: https://www.techb2b.com

Learn more about Ati Motors: https://atimotors.com/

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#manufacturing #automation #manufacturingmatters #techb2bmarketing  #AMR #AutonomousMobileRobots #MobileRobots #IndustrialRobotics #robots #podcasts

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Discover how decoupling hardware and software is revolutionizing all industries, including manufacturing, and how powerful digital twin technology and AI are playing their parts. Live from the Schneider Electric Innovation Summit, Hany Fouda, Schneider’s senior vice president of process automation, explains the shift toward automated processes, which is driving efficiency and predictability in continuous and hybrid manufacturing. But more than improving machines, the focus on sustainable and flexible manufacturing is critical to attracting the next generation of talent and ensuring profitability.  

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https://www.manufacturing-matters.com/episode-123-hany-fouda-senior-vice-president-of-process-automation-at-schneider-electric
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#manufacturing #automation #manufacturingmatters #techb2b #digitaltransformation #schneiderelectric #digitaltwins 

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Dive into the cutting edge of manufacturing with Greg Magdanz, VP of OEM and robotics at Schneider Electric. In a discussion recorded live at the Innovation Summit, Magdanz reveals how the convergence of IT and operational technology is fueling the next industrial revolution.

Discover how digital twin software can save OEMs time and money by enabling program design and prototyping before a single physical build. Learn about Schneider’s open platform approach, which future-proofs factories for an agnostic world. Plus, hear insights on the exciting future of humanoids and the crucial need for skilled labor in robotics.

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Learn how even small companies can strengthen supply chains through analytics and automation in this talk with Agustin Lopez Diaz, Schneider Electric’s North American supply chain officer. Lopez Diaz illustrates this point by discussing Schneider’s $100 million–plus plan to reshore production in the U.S. The project includes the company’s new Nebraska facility, which uses sustainable water sources for production, resulting in several national awards for sustainability. Listen to his advice for smaller companies: Take the leap! Embrace data and automation now! Don't miss this look at the future of manufacturing.

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https://manufacturing-matters.com/episode-121-agustin-lopez-diaz-north-american-supply-chain-officer-at-schneider-electric
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“AI will be disruptive, but our job, not only as manufacturers but also policymakers, is to make sure that that disruption is good for society, it’s good for our country, it’s good for promoting our values.” 

For hundreds of years, emerging technologies — from the automated loom to the PC — have elicited fears or doubts from naysayers. Today, AI is a lightning rod for discussions both within manufacturing and beyond, but the fact is that AI is already enhancing our ability to be more efficient and produce more goods for the entire world, says Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).  

In this episode of the Manufacturing Matters podcast, recorded live at the Schneider Electric Innovation Summit 2025, Timmons joins TECH B2B Marketing’s Winn Hardin and Jimmy Carroll to discuss how AI, energy, and policymaking will impact the future of U.S. manufacturing. Timmons talks about how manufacturers and policymakers share a responsibility to best leverage emerging technologies, steer change toward better jobs, and drive the resurgence in American manufacturing. In addition, he discusses the workforce, education, advocating for manufacturers in Washington, and a NAM report on shaping the AI-powered factory of the future. 

NAM: https://nam.org/ 
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#manufacturing #automation #manufacturingmatters #techb2b #InnovationSummitLasVegas #ISNA2025 #ManufacturingWins

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“We were talking about AI assistants a year ago. Now we are deploying advanced AI agents on the factory floor, and that shift is transforming how manufacturers approach automation, data, and solving some of their biggest challenges.” 

In this episode of the Manufacturing Matters podcast, Ozgur Tohumcu, General Manager for Automotive and Manufacturing at Amazon Web Services (AWS), joins TECH B2B Marketing’s Winn Hardin and Jimmy Carroll to discuss how AI (agentic AI in particular), cloud computing, and digital transformation solutions are reshaping manufacturing. Tohumcu discusses the rapid evolution from AI assistants to agents and how these technologies are helping manufacturers conquer legacy infrastructure challenges, address labor shortages, and rethink their operations overall. 

Additional topics include real-life examples of how AI agents have helped major corporations, strategies for building a strong data foundation, the role of generative AI in accelerating product design, and emerging trends like software-defined factories and humanoid robots on the factory floor. 

See the full show notes here: https://manufacturing-matters.com/episode-119-ozgur-tohumcu-amazon-web-services/ 

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When you walk into a data center and see thousands of cables connecting endless rows of servers, you're only viewing the tip of the bandwidth iceberg. The real bandwidth revolution is happening inside the semiconductor chip packages driving those connections. 

Wolfgang Sauter, Senior Distinguished Engineer at Marvell Technology, takes us deeper into the world of advanced semiconductor packaging, where the future of AI and data processing is being built on ever higher density chip connections. From 3D chip stacking that packs more performance and memory bandwidth into the same footprint to co-packaged optics that bring higher bandwidth directly onto the processor, Sauter reveals how chip packaging has evolved from a simple protective housing to the key driver of next-generation computing. 

In this episode of Manufacturing Matters, Sauter sits down with TECH B2B Marketing's Aaron Hand and Dan McCarthy to explore the manufacturing challenges of connecting chips and chiplets, cooling 4-kilowatt modules, and why the packaging for today’s processors has become as critical than the silicon inside them. 

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