Why AI Fails on the Factory Floor—and How to Fix It

Industrial AI adoption frequently fails because organizations prioritize executive-level dashboards over the practical needs of frontline technicians. Hugo Dozois, CTO of MaintainX, argues that successful implementation must address the "tribal knowledge" gap caused by an estimated 2.1 million skilled labor shortage by 2030. Instead of "expensive wallpaper" dashboards, AI should function as an accessible tool for capturing undocumented expertise and sifting through unstructured data from sensors and operators to provide real-time, actionable insights. Effective strategies begin by targeting specific, measurable metrics—such as mean time to repair or work order completion rates—rather than attempting broad, unmanageable transformations. By focusing on critical assets and routing the right information to the right person in the field, manufacturers can overcome change management hurdles and build the necessary trust to sustain digital transformation in maintenance and operations.