FIELD NOTES
Long-form notes from inside real engagements: what's working, what's stalling, and how to read past the hype cycle without becoming an AI vendor's training set. Written for plant managers, COOs, and VPs of operations at $10M–$100M shops.
The Fractional Chief AI Officer role has trickled down from the Fortune 500 to the mid-market. Six things the job actually covers, how the 90-day arc works, what it costs, and when not to hire one.
Read the field note →Eighteen specific AI workflows shipping inside $10M-$100M manufacturers in 2026. Grouped by function (production, quality, maintenance, supply chain, office, sales) with what each replaces and a typical payback range.
Read the field note →The four categories of AI estimating tools, the seven questions every buyer should ask any vendor, realistic time-savings expectations, and the integration trap that wastes the most money in failed purchases.
Read the field note →For ongoing tactical AI writing from inside real engagements, subscribe to the Quarterly Manufacturing AI Briefing (free PDF) or join a session of the Monthly Ops Leader Roadshow.