The Definition Gap - before you add AI to your production workflow, do this

Episode two of Bits and Bots for Business looks at a question that is showing up across software, print, signage and manufacturing alike: what happens when teams expect new technology to solve problems they have not properly defined in the first place? In this episode, I explore why so many AI projects struggle to deliver consistent value in day-to-day operations. The issue is rarely the speed or capability of the technology itself. Drawing on ideas from specification-driven development in software, I connect those lessons back to production environments, where the same pattern can play out in different ways. Whether it is signage artwork missing key production details, packaging files arriving with conflicting instructions, or teams expecting automation to resolve ambiguity, the result is often the same: AI can accelerate the work, but it can also accelerate the chaos. The episode includes selected excerpts from my conversation with Ivo Dusch, Global Business Development Manager at Canon Production Printing, about Height IQ — an AI-powered application designed to simplify a specific part of the elevated print workflow. Giving a practical example of what happens when AI is applied to a tightly defined problem rather than treated as a catch-all solution. I examine why human review still matters, how bottlenecks shift when one task becomes faster, and why better outcomes usually start with better definitions. It is a strong listen for anyone trying to make sense of how to implement AI in real production settings — and for anyone interested in how clearer thinking upstream can lead to better workflow downstream, in any industry.