# BONUS: How Manufacturers Should Prepare for an AI Implementation featuring CADDi's Aaron Lober

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2025-11-21
- Length: 24m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-21-bonus-how-manufacturers-should-prepare-for-an-ai-implementation-featuring-caddis
- Listen: https://manufacturinghappyhour.com/fabtech2025

## Summary

Aaron Lober, VP of Marketing at CADDi, discusses how manufacturers can realistically prepare for AI implementation, emphasizing that companies should start by identifying specific use cases rather than chasing trends. He explains that CADDi’s platform uses AI to extract data from legacy 2D drawings and microfiche, allowing for pattern recognition in procurement, engineering, and supply chain visibility. Lober highlights that manufacturers no longer need to manually structure their data before adopting AI, as the technology can now prep the data for them, though engaging internal stakeholders to alleviate job security fears remains critical.

## Chapters

- [0:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-21-bonus-how-manufacturers-should-prepare-for-an-ai-implementation-featuring-caddis#t=53) Introduction and CADDi's Evolution
- [5:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-21-bonus-how-manufacturers-should-prepare-for-an-ai-implementation-featuring-caddis#t=320) AI Use Cases: Procurement and Engineering
- [9:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-21-bonus-how-manufacturers-should-prepare-for-an-ai-implementation-featuring-caddis#t=596) The Foundation: Drawing Management and Legacy Data
- [13:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-21-bonus-how-manufacturers-should-prepare-for-an-ai-implementation-featuring-caddis#t=783) Preparing for AI Implementation
- [14:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-21-bonus-how-manufacturers-should-prepare-for-an-ai-implementation-featuring-caddis#t=893) Data Readiness and the New Paradigm
- [19:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-21-bonus-how-manufacturers-should-prepare-for-an-ai-implementation-featuring-caddis#t=1175) Stakeholder Engagement and AI Myths

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- CADDi (company)
- Subaru (company)
- Deloitte (company)
- McKinsey (company)
- Snowflake (company)
- Databricks (company)
- Palantir (company)
- FabTech 2025 (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Digitizing Institutional Knowledge w/ Yushiro Kato](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-11-28-digitizing-institutional-knowledge-w-yushiro-kato) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Electronica 24: Peter Gutschi on How AI is Shaping the Future of Manufacturing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-12-19-electronica-24-peter-gutschi-on-how-ai-is-shaping-the-future-of-manufacturing) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [Context, Tools, and Trust:Missing Ingredients in Many AI Strategies, with Luminovo's Timon Ruban](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-04-30-context-tools-and-trust-missing-ingredients-in-many-ai-strategies-with-luminovos) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [Clarifying AI Terminology and Applications in Manufacturing w/ Alex Sandoval](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-01-16-clarifying-ai-terminology-and-applications-in-manufacturing-w-alex-sandoval) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [248. Xometry’s Oscar Lovera & How AI Is Rebuilding Manufacturing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2026-07-14-248-xometrys-oscar-lovera-how-ai-is-rebuilding-manufacturing) (The Next Byte Podcast)

## Citing this page

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