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From predictive maintenance to smarter robotics, AI is everywhere, and it’s movingfast. But along with the opportunity comes a new set of responsibilities: fairness, safety,data integrity, and trust. That’s where ISO and IEC step in. They’ve built a globalframework of AI standards designed to keep innovation safe, consistent, andtransparent. Think of these as your roadmap for using AI responsibly without slowingdown progress. Here’s your guide: what each standard does,…

By Kathy Hennessy, Marketing Metrics Corp. As if the day-to-day business challenges weren’t enough to keep you on your toes, now you must steer your manufacturing/industrial company through the increasingly complex and dynamic digital landscape. Pause to think: Is your business truly visible in the new world of search? Ten years ago, buyers found suppliers on Google search. Today’s buyers ask AI ‘advisors’ like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, Perplexity,…

You may have seen recent headlines claiming that AI could eliminate 40% of U.S. jobs. It’s a gripping statistic — but it’s also misleading. Those headlines come from a misinterpretation of a November 2025 McKinsey Global Institute report titled Agents, robots, and us: Skill partnerships in the age of AI. What the report actually says is far more strategic — especially for executives, manufacturers, workforce teams, and HR leaders. McKinsey’s finding…

Manufacturing is entering a new era—one shaped by automation, smart systems, intelligent data, and increasingly advanced technologies. Across Southwestern Pennsylvania, companies are investing in robotics, digital tools, and new production capabilities to stay competitive. But technology alone isn’t enough. Manufacturers also need a workforce that’s equipped with the modern skills required to operate, maintain, and optimize these new systems. Yet the skills gap continues to widen. Experienced workers are…

Southwestern Pennsylvania’s manufacturing economy is strong—but like many regions across the country, it faces a growing challenge: finding enough skilled workers to fill the jobs of today and tomorrow. From robotics and automation to mechatronics and advanced materials, modern manufacturing careers require hands-on experience, technical skills, and clear pathways into the workforce. ApprenticeshipHQ, a newly launched regional platform, was built to help solve that challenge. A Regional Collaboration to…