AI couldn’t fix quality problems. So Ford rehired its most experienced engineers

At a moment when companies are clamoring to embrace AI—in no small part to capture the attention of shareholders—Ford executives made a rather surprising confession. On a press call last week, the automaker admitted that its issues with quality control could not be resolved with AI.  Ford logged a record number of recalls in 2025, and the company has already issued 51 recalls to date this year, significantly more than its peers. But the company highlighted its performance in an annual survey that measures initial vehicle quality, which put Ford well ahead of its mass market competitors—up f...