Ford has rehired hundreds of experienced auto industry veterans, including former employees, after discovering that reliance on AI for quality control led to costly issues. Over the past three years, the company brought back 350 seasoned engineers to identify and fix reliability problems before parts reach the production line. Ford’s COO Kumar Galhotra admitted that automated systems alone couldn’t meet the company’s standards, prompting a return to human expertise. This shift has led to notable improvements: Ford now ranks highest for initial vehicle quality among mainstream brands, a sharp turnaround from last year’s low standing. CEO Jim Farley highlighted that this human-led quality focus has reduced warranty and recall costs, saving the company hundreds of millions of dollars. Vice President Charles Poon emphasized that AI’s effectiveness depends on quality data and experience, something Ford had undervalued. Despite facing record recall issues in 2025 and high warranty costs, Ford’s renewed emphasis on human specialists and thorough quality checks is expected to drive further improvements in reliability in the coming years.
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