Ford rehires engineers after AI flop
Ford fired engineers expecting AI to replace them in vehicle hardware design, then had to rehire them after automated systems produced too many errors.
Snapshot · This Week in Tech (Audio)
TWiT 1090: Flock of SQLs - Apple & Microsoft Grapple With Soaring Hardware Prices
Explore episode
Jun 29, 2026
Where this was said
Surveillance Roundup: Flock Backlash, Robotaxis Without Brakes & Ford's AI Fail
At 2:16:40 · chapter starts 2:13:10
Leo moves through a series of interrelated stories about technology and trust. The Flock camera backlash is spreading as communities learn these automated license plate readers are capturing Bluetooth device identifiers in addition to plates. Peter Diamandis's provocative post arguing that trillion-sensor ubiquitous surveillance is positive because humans behave better when watched sparks a debate about the panopticon and whether safety benefits justify total observation. NHTSA's proposal to eliminate foot-operated brake pedals from autonomous vehicles — citing them as a barrier to innovation — strikes the panel as alarming, with Leo noting the obvious connection to Tesla's political influence. Ford's public admission is the segment's most telling story: the company fired its vehicle hardware engineering team in the belief that AI could do their jobs, then was forced to rehire them after automated systems produced too many errors. VP Charles Poon publicly said they mistakenly thought AI plus adjusted design requirements would produce quality products.
Jaguar Land Rover hack: £2B UK bailout
A Russian cyberattack on Jaguar Land Rover was so severe it forced a month-long shutdown and required a £2 billion UK government bailout.
Social Media Bans for Under-16s Are Already Failing
Australia passed a social media ban for under-16s. A University of Newcastle study found 80% of them are still using social media anyway. Now Norway and the UK plan to follow suit — apparently to get the same result. As Harper Reid warned when the law passed: you're just teaching kids to be hackers.
80% of under-16s still use social media
A University of Newcastle study found that 4 out of 5 under-16s in Australia are still using social media despite the country's ban.
Ford's AI Lesson: You Can't Automate Your Way Out of Engineering
Ford fired engineers to let AI handle vehicle hardware design. The AI made too many mistakes. Ford had to call the engineers back. The VP publicly admitted they 'mistakenly thought' AI could replace the work — a rare moment of corporate honesty about AI's real-world limits.
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