Case study

AI Strategy Consulting For An Automotive Manufacturing Company

About Client

A leading global manufacturing company headquartered in the United States, dominating the automotive parts industry.
Known for its premium quality products and active participation in ongoing industrial innovation, the company’s operations span multiple continents.

Problem STATEMENT

With increasing AI adoption in the domain, the client wanted to loop in artificial intelligence consultants to draft an effective AI implementation strategy to automate workflows in multiple departments within the factory. After the first few consultation sessions, the major hurdles that came to light were:

Challenges faced by the client:

Integrating AI across 10 departments and 20 sub-departments was challenging. Aligning efforts and meeting unique AI needs across each department was tricky.
Engaging 20-30 managers and team members to understand requirements indicated a large, diverse group of stakeholders. Balancing their needs, priorities, and perspectives required effective collaboration strategies.
Artificial Intelligence adoption for monitoring, and streamlining operational inefficiencies and quality control issues.
Not having a real-time data analytics system made it harder to address rising production issues, thereby hurting their competitiveness and all-around profitability.

Solution

At first, experts at DataToBiz sketched out shared insights into an action plan. This documentation not only guided successful AI integration across departments but also enabled a smooth transition from manual to automated workflows. We engaged within various departments to identify AI needs and enhancement, Here are the steps we followed:
Step 1: Collaboration and Assessment

Departmental Engagement: We collaborated closely with all departments in the corporation to gain a deep understanding of their operational needs.
Pain point Assessment: Through interactive workshops and in-depth discussions sesh with the client, our AI domain experts identified key areas where AI technologies could directly enhance efficiency and quality, addressing critical business challenges.

Step 2: Feasibility Analysis

Technology Evaluation: We conducted a thorough evaluation of the company’s existing infrastructure, assessing factors such as data availability, IT capabilities, and scalability parameters to determine their readiness for AI integration.
Use Case Identification: With workshops and data analysis, we pinpointed potential AI use cases tailored to address specific operational hurdles and measurable improvements.

Step 3: Risk Assessment

Technical Risks: We minutely evaluated potential technical challenges, including data quality issues, integration complexities, and limitations of AI algorithms to ensure a smooth workflow.
Organizational Risks: Considering organizational readiness and change management implications, we assessed stakeholder buy-in and potential resistance to AI adoption to address coming challenges proactively.

Step 4: SWOT Analysis

We chalked out SWOT parameters before implementing any major change within their production workflow:

Strengths: We identified the client’s existing strengths in manufacturing, data, and innovation to make the department’s production more fruitful.
Weaknesses: We identified limitations with the current data maturity level and potential resistance from some departments. We had plans to address these further in the process.
Opportunities: We determined the opportunities where AI can optimize processes, save costs, and improve quality, giving the client a competitive edge in the future.
Threats:We made them aware of the potential risks in integrating AI like disrupting existing workflows, requiring an upfront investment, and facing employee resistance. We shared a plan to manage these challenges further on.

Step 5: Technical Roadmap and Use Case Documentation

Use Case Focus: We picked the AI project(specific department) with the best chance of success and the biggest payoff to meet our business goals.
Resource Needs: We mapped together the stakeholders and equipment (data scientists, engineers, computers) required for a successful integration
Clear Pricing: We created easy-to-understand breakdowns of costs for each phase of AI implementation, so they can plan their budget accordingly before planning for the integration.

Business Impact

With the documentation and phase-wise strategies shared with the client, the manufacturing enterprise experienced were aware of the results and was confident with AI integration in their existing production.

- Strategic Alignment: By aligning AI initiatives with the client’s strategic goals, we enabled them to see clear pathways for how AI technologies could enhance their operations. This ensured that all the required AI efforts should contribute to both short-term efficiencies and long-term growth.
- Risk Mitigation: Through our thorough risk assessment(both technical and organizational), we helped the client preview potential pitfalls associated with AI integration.
- Resource Optimization: By providing detailed documentation and feasibility analysis results, we helped the client allocate resources more efficiently, allowing optimal use of onboarded data scientists, AI engineers, and infrastructure in the project.
- Decision Support: Our consulting solutions gave stakeholders the insights to evaluate AI initiatives and make informed investment decisions. This led to more strategic investments and clearer expectations of outcomes.
- Cost Visibility:With transparent pricing and budget forecasts beforehand, we helped the client plan and manage AI project costs better. This supported sustainable AI initiatives.

All-in-all, via a thorough consultation with our AI experts, the client ensured they were prepared and informed about their departments, their data maturity level, and operational drawbacks beforehand, leading to successful AI adoption without the additional need for direct implementation services.