Apple and Michigan State University hosted the inaugural Spring Forum for the Apple Manufacturing Academy, bringing together small- and medium-sized businesses to explore practical AI deployment in manufacturing. The two-day event at MSU featured speakers from McKinsey, Magna, LightGuide, and Medtronic discussing challenges and benefits of scaling AI solutions in production environments.

The forum included a poster session with students and participating businesses, plus a fireside chat between Apple's VP of Product Operations Priya Balasubramaniam and MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz on how AI is reshaping manufacturing and workforce skills. Attendees toured Block Imaging's facility to see firsthand how the company applied learnings from the program to modernize operations refurbishing CT scanners and MRI machines.

The Academy, part of Apple's $600 billion Advanced Manufacturing Program, offers free training for SMB employees covering AI, automation analysis, and failure analysis with hands-on consultation from Apple engineers. Additional sessions are scheduled through July, with the next focusing on data (May 12-13) followed by quality (June 9-10).