# APEX 2025 Keynote: Kevin Surace on AI, Automation and Digital Transformation

- Show: [EMS@C-LEVEL](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level)
- Published: 2025-03-25
- Length: 10m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-03-25-apex-2025-keynote-kevin-surace-on-ai-automation-and-digital-transformation

## Summary

Kevin Surace, keynote speaker at APEX 2025, explains how AI and humanoid robotics are enabling the transition to lights-out factories by automating tasks on existing human-sized equipment. He argues that AI-driven supply chain forecasting can smooth out demand fluctuations, though it cannot predict black swan events like COVID. Surace highlights that generative AI drastically increases productivity in content creation and business operations, allowing companies to grow revenue with a declining workforce.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-03-25-apex-2025-keynote-kevin-surace-on-ai-automation-and-digital-transformation#t=8) Introduction: Kevin Surace and the AI Vision for Manufacturing
- [1:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-03-25-apex-2025-keynote-kevin-surace-on-ai-automation-and-digital-transformation#t=63) Lights-Out Factories and Humanoid Robotics as the Bridge
- [3:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-03-25-apex-2025-keynote-kevin-surace-on-ai-automation-and-digital-transformation#t=205) AI in Supply Chain Forecasting and Inventory Management
- [5:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-03-25-apex-2025-keynote-kevin-surace-on-ai-automation-and-digital-transformation#t=350) Generative AI for Content Creation and Productivity
- [9:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-03-25-apex-2025-keynote-kevin-surace-on-ai-automation-and-digital-transformation#t=547) Workforce Decline and the Necessity of Automation

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Koh Young (company)
- Creative Electron (company)
- Global Electronics Association (company)
- Claude (other)
- Gemini (other)
- OpenAI (other)
- gpt-4 (other)
- Neptune C+ (product)
- ChatGPT (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S4E43 Kevin Surace | How To Use AI For Engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-11-10-s4e43-kevin-surace-how-to-use-ai-for-engineering) (Being an Engineer)
- [2023 year in review: GenAI, humanoids dominate robotics industry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-21-2023-year-in-review-genai-humanoids-dominate-robotics-industry) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [276: 2026 Automation Industry Outlook, Live from the A3 Business Forum](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-02-24-276-2026-automation-industry-outlook-live-from-the-a3-business-forum) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Trends in Supply Chain Robotics with John Santagate](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-07-11-trends-in-supply-chain-robotics-with-john-santagate) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [AI Tooling with Matt Liberty and Luke Beno](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-04-23-ai-tooling-with-matt-liberty-and-luke-beno) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-03-25-apex-2025-keynote-kevin-surace-on-ai-automation-and-digital-transformation. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to EMS@C-LEVEL.