As artificial intelligence transforms manufacturing, Wayne State University is giving engineering students an opportunity to work directly with the technologies reshaping the industry — experience that is already helping graduates land coveted jobs in the field.
Through hands-on experiments with robots, conveyor systems, machine vision and generative AI, students in Wayne State’s James and Patricia Anderson College of Engineering learn how to make manufacturing smarter, more flexible and more efficient. The work takes place in part in IntelliMake, a new research hub and pilot-scale factory being developed in partnership with Kyndryl to advance AI-driven manufacturing.
The initiative addresses a growing workforce challenge for Michigan, where manufacturing remains central to the economy. According to the state’s AI and Workforce Plan, an estimated 75% of manufacturing jobs will require some form of upskilling as artificial intelligence and automation become more prevalent. The state estimates that responsible AI adoption could generate up to $70 billion in economic impact and support 130,000 jobs.
For Wayne State, preparing that workforce means giving students opportunities to experiment with those technologies, understand their limitations and apply them to real-world engineering problems.
“We are trying to create a pipeline of students who can address that very urgent need,” said Dr. Ratna Babu Chinnam, professor and chair of industrial and systems engineering and co-director of IntelliMake.
Raj Sohmshetty, co-director of IntelliMake and instructor of IE 6000: Digital Automation, has redesigned the course to combine classroom learning with hands-on work in the IntelliMake lab. The goal is to give students the tools and knowledge to solve today’s manufacturing problems and prepare them to develop manufacturing systems in which AI agents help machines respond to changing conditions.
Traditional industrial robots typically follow carefully programmed instructions. They can perform repetitive tasks with precision, but small variations in a part’s position or geometry can cause a process to fail. Conventional systems may struggle to recognize an unexpected situation and adjust accordingly.
In the IntelliMake lab, students learn how emerging technologies can help overcome those limitations.
Working with robots, a conveyor system and a laser engraver, they conduct experiments designed to make machines more intelligent and responsive. They explore generative AI, vision-based technologies and AI agents that can help robots recognize their surroundings and respond to changing conditions.
Rather than simply program a machine to repeat a sequence of movements, students investigate how AI can give automated systems greater flexibility and autonomy.
“Computer science students may understand AI, but they don’t know how to think about what the real need is,” Chinnam said. “We bridge that domain knowledge by exposing students to what is possible through AI.”
The approach is already producing results. Chinnam said a group of approximately 10 students spent substantial time working in the lab during fall 2025, and several subsequently secured positions with leading companies.
One recent graduate of the artificial intelligence master’s program, Gokula Kumaran Kiruthiga Gopal, landed a position as an AI engineer with Panasonic.
“The experience I gained through IntelliMake was part of the reason I landed my position at Panasonic,” said Kiruthiga Gopal. “I was able to demonstrate the AI and Edge AI work I had done, and Panasonic was especially interested in a factory-monitoring system our team developed. Much of what I learned there, from integrating machine-learning models to working with cameras and intelligent systems, is directly applicable to what I’m doing today.”
Preparing today and tomorrow’s workforce
While the facility will expand opportunities for undergraduate and graduate education, Chinnam said many students currently taking Digital Automation are working professionals seeking to update their skills.
In one recent class, approximately 70% of students were already working engineers or other professionals, including people employed by automotive companies.
Sushant Lingras is an operations manager for PHINA – formerly Delphi Technologies, an automotive and industrial components company – who is pursuing his master’s in artificial intelligence.
“One of the most valuable outcomes has been the ability to apply what I learned directly in my workplace,” said Lingras. “As part of my work, I developed an AI-powered agent that helps employees quickly access plant information, standard work and operational knowledge. The solution eliminated several manual data-entry and administrative tasks, improved efficiency, and significantly reduced the time employees spend searching for information. This experience demonstrated how AI can augment the workforce by allowing employees to focus on higher-value activities instead of repetitive administrative work.”
At a production plant, disrupting a process to experiment with a new approach can be impractical. At IntelliMake, students can test ideas, observe how systems respond and refine their solutions in a controlled environment.
Derek Stringfellow, an applications analyst at Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) within the Capital Improvement Planning Group, is also working on his master’s in AI.
“With IntelliMake, there is a human-centricity to what the class provides and what IntelliMake creates as a proof of concept with this first lab,” said Stringfellow. “This class gives me hands-on experience with how those systems are built, how they fail and how a person still has a significant role. I’ll bring these new insights as possibilities to explore and propose to GLWA IT Group, as well as technology opportunities within water and wastewater projects.”
As the IntelliMake facility develops, Wayne State plans to extend the approach to additional areas, including modern quality control, production control, facilities design and operational optimization.
For Michigan manufacturers navigating rapid technological change, the goal is to develop engineers who can translate advances in AI into practical improvements on the factory floor.
And for Wayne State students, that preparation can begin with an opportunity to work directly with the machines, systems and technologies they may one day be hired to improve.
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