Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1541670
12 SMT007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2025 Roundtable Takeaways: Practical Advice Several key ideas emerged from these discus- sions, reflecting both caution and optimism about AI adoption: • Ask better questions. Configuring AI tools to prompt for clarification can dramatically reduce the risk of inaccurate or fabricated outputs—the so-called "hallucinations" that undermine trust. • Be transparent. Share examples, both per- sonal and business, openly and informally within your organization. This practice helps demystify the technology, normalize exper- imentation, and build confidence across teams. • Trust but verify. No matter how sophisticated the tool, always validate sources and out- puts. • Ground ROI in reality. Many current AI tools are subsidized or experimental; early results may not reflect long-term economics. More than just helpful tips, these are survival strategies for navigating the fog of innovation and ensuring adoption happens responsibly. Start Small, but Start Now Don't wait for the perfect roadmap or a fully devel- oped strategy before taking action. Begin with something manageable and low-risk that allows your team to learn and build confidence. Explore one AI-powered tool that addresses a real pain point, test a process improvement using data you already have, or experiment with automation in a non-critical workflow. Rather than trying to trans- form your entire operation overnight, work on building momentum. Each small step creates opportunities to learn, iterate, and grow. Every day you wait, the gap between early adopters and late movers widens. For example, adding machine learning and AI capabilities to an established inspection gate in the line will not only give you the opportunity to measure the ROI before standing up AI on another gate, but also provide the opportunity to assess the strengths and weaknesses of your data stor- age and management systems, shining a light on what may need upgrading to handle the data. Likewise, compartmentalized use of AI and machine learning often operates entirely on data generated and stored internally, minimizing the threat of data escapes. By phasing AI into business operations, you build the knowledge needed to properly scope and assess the efficiencies AI may bring. None of this, you will note, mentions genera- tive or web-based AI models. AI is not a passing trend. It's a foundational shift, and it's happening whether we're ready or not. Conclusion: Lean Into the Discomfort As a reminder, you need to get uncomfortable and start to understand this stuff, or it will run you over. AI is reshaping EMS operations. It's changing how we work, compete, and grow. The discomfort is real, but so is the opportunity. Let's not watch it happen from the sidelines. Let's be part of it. Mark Wolfe is executive EMS advisor for the Global Electronics Association.