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AI & the Future of Manufacturing Work

AI & the Future of Manufacturing Work
AI & the Future of Manufacturing Work

Time & Location

May 01, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Sobrato Center for Nonprofits, 1400 Parkmoor Ave, San Jose, CA 95126, USA

About the event

* This event is being offered in-person and remotely. Mark your preference when you RSVP *


AI is rapidly moving from concept to application, and it's actively reshaping manufacturing operations.


Whether this reality keeps you up at night, or you haven't given much thought to AI yet, we encourage you to join us for a panel discussion where we unpack what’s real, what’s next, and what it means for manufacturing businesses navigating a rapidly changing landscape. We’ll examine how these technologies are being deployed today, what problems they solve, and how manufacturers can prepare for their growing impact on productivity, workforce roles, and competitiveness.


This panel will have leaders from two cutting-edge companies working at the intersection of human labor and AI—one using advanced vision systems to analyze and improve worker efficiency, and the other building AI-powered robots capable of performing physical tasks. Representatives from the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) will also join to share their perspective on how these shifts are impacting small and mid-sized manufacturers.


Together, we’ll explore what these technologies mean for manufacturers today: where AI is already delivering value, how it’s changing the nature of work, and what shifts are likely in the years ahead.

Panelists:


photo of panelist Vikas
Vikas Choudhary -  co-founder of a SF-based startup focused on AI-native applications for the manufacturing sector, specifically focused on LLM-powered knowledge organization/SOP tools for small and medium sized manufacturers. Their startup is backed by Y Combinator and other top Silicon Valley VCs.
photo of panelist Sourish
Sourish Jasti: Business Development at Physical Intelligence (PI). PI is an SF-based AI robotics company that's raised about $1B from Jeff Bezos, OpenAI, Thrive Capital, and others. PI is like OpenAI but for robotics - instead of a chatbot that learns to handle any question, they are building a robot brain that learns to handle any physical task.
Photo of panelist Jeramaine
Jermaine Carter-Gibson: Northern California Regional Engagement Specialist from the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA). CalOSBA serves as the voice of small business, representing your views and interests and advocating for equitable access to capital, markets and resources.



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