From Pilot Purgatory to Digital Transformation: AI in Manufacturing, with Bryce Carpenter of Conexus Indiana

U.S. Manufacturing Today features Bryce Carpenter, Chief Operating and Strategy Officer at Conexus Indiana, discussing why AI and automation efforts in manufacturing often stall at pilots and how to scale them into operational results. Carpenter explains Conexus as an industry-led nonprofit working with 130 Indiana manufacturers and public and education leaders to accelerate solutions by aligning stakeholders early. He argues adoption fails when companies lead with technology instead of clear problem statements and when cultural buy-in and workforce communication are missing, fueling fears of job loss. He notes small and midsize manufacturers can have advantages due to low AI cost barriers and fewer data-standardization challenges, but many lack connected equipment and usable data. Conexus is launching Industry Exchange Workshops and building an AI use-case inventory to improve ROI confidence. The episode also highlights flexible labor models, faster micro-trainings, and technology’s role in boosting U.S. competitiveness amid reshoring and tariffs.Timestamps00:00 AI Adoption Reality Check01:12 Meet Bryce Carpenter02:26 What Conexus Does03:34 Ecosystem Bridge Building06:54 Escaping Pilot Purgatory10:44 SMB Edge in AI13:15 Roadmap and Grants Lessons15:46 Automation Upskilling Workers19:19 Training and Talent Access22:46 Flexible Labor Partnerships24:27 Data Foundations for AI28:27 Market Maturity and ROI33:36 Reshoring and Competitiveness36:00 Resources and Wrap Up37:18 Final Takeaways and CTALinksConexus IndianaBryce on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Navigating Trump 2.0 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revitalizing US Manufacturing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign Up on the Veryable Platform ⁠⁠