Ep. 2: AI Is Only as Good as the People Using It — The Ford Story

On this episode of AI'm Just Trying My Best, host Adam Espinosa and Modern Workery founder Chevelle Bedra dig into the story making rounds on social media: Ford Motor Company laying off 350 engineers, then bringing them back after leaning too hard on AI without a solid strategy behind it.

Chevelle and Adam break down why companies citing AI for layoffs are often masking deeper mismanagement, why moving fast without employee input backfires, and why the real key to AI adoption isn't the technology itself, it's talking to the people actually doing the work. Plus, a detour into robot names, DoorDash cooking skills, and why "slow and steady" beats "move fast and break things" when it comes to AI strategy.

What We Cover:

[00:00] Welcome to Episode 2

[02:00] Using Copilot for everyday tasks, from recipes to pantry inventory

[07:00] The Ford Motor Company story: 350 engineers laid off, then rehired

[09:00] Why companies blame AI for layoffs that are really about mismanagement

[10:00] What Ford could have done differently: talking to engineers first

[13:00] Finding the "pebbles in your shoe," the small annoying tasks AI should eliminate first

[16:00] The real cost of layoffs and rehiring when AI strategy misses the mark

[19:00] Building trust with your workforce before rolling out AI

[21:00] Why job candidates should be asking employers about their AI strategy

[27:00] Practical advice for where to start if you don't know where to begin

Favorite Quotes:

"Every technological revolution actually creates jobs."

"You've gotta talk to your people. It doesn't need to be some fancy survey."

"The wave's coming. It's just how wet are we gonna get."

"Slow and steady, like the tortoise and the hare."

Got a topic or question you want the team to cover? Drop it in the comments.