At the 2025 Executive Forum, held May 13 at MAGNET’s headquarters, Northeast Ohio’s manufacturing leaders gathered to explore one of the most urgent and exhilarating questions facing the industry: What role will artificial intelligence play in shaping the future of manufacturing?
The forum’s keynote speaker, Dr. Hod Lipson—Columbia University professor, roboticist, and one of Forbes’ top seven data scientists—took the stage to deliver a provocative and inspiring address. With clarity and wit, Lipson made one message undeniably clear: You cannot walk away from AI, it is not a distant force. It’s here, it’s accelerating, and with the right mindset, it can be your most powerful tool for transformation.
AI, Lipson explained, is not a fixed tool or singular system—it’s a statistical learning engine fed by vast amounts of real-world data from sensors, cameras, and interactions. “AI isn’t something you can opt out of,” he said. “You will either lead it or be dragged along by someone else who does.” He outlined the Six Waves of AI, a framework for understanding how this technology has evolved, with the sixth wave being Sentient AI – still theoretical, but on the horizon. The curves aren’t just rising—they’re steepening. “Moore’s Law is just the beginning,” Lipson noted. “Data is doubling every 12 months. The capacity of AI brains is doubling every six months.”
There are many examples of new products using AI, providing manufacturers an opportunity to grow, in the growth, — from driverless cars that now complete over 350,000 rides per month, to AI-powered cashier-less stores that track your gaze to predict your next snack purchase.
There are currently many examples of AI in use today in manufacturing processes that can help manufacturers grow, reduce costs, and differentiate themselves in the market.
His parting words were a call to leadership in this new era: “Don’t fear. Steer. Steer AI in the right direction—to solve the most pressing problems.”