Big brands deploy robotics to push back on AI

Let’s summarize:

• GM has laid off more than 1,000 employees and replaced them with robots.
• Some employers who replaced their employees with AI don’t regret their decision.
• Santander is rolling out AI capabilities to its workforce.
• Startup raises $23 million for small businesses.
• Agent AI addresses infrastructure challenges.

GM lays off more than 1,000 Factory Zero workers and installs 50 robots

General Motors is under intense scrutiny after changes were made to its flagship factory, Factory Zero. The facility was home to more than 50 collaborative robots, or “cobots.” Their investment in robotics comes almost immediately after more than 1,000 job cuts. Union members have publicly raised concerns as robots appear to be an explanation for the layoffs. But GM said it is shifting to employees who can build and work with AI systems, rather than relying solely on traditional IT skill sets. The automaker says its cobot strategy reflects a transformation of the workforce, but technology remains a core focus, leading to increased tensions between employees and decision makers. (Source: Yahoo Finance)

Why this is important for small businesses:

Robotics will inevitably make its way into manufacturing, but for most companies this won’t happen anytime soon. The price is still too high and its features are still in its infancy. It’s interesting to see how big companies do this. This is because what large companies do will eventually spread to other companies. But then again, that won’t be the case for a while.

Employers who fired employees over AI are already starting to regret it

The narrative around the AI ​​workforce is changing based on recent headlines. CNBC Employers who cited AI as a reason for termination now report regretting that decision. While these companies are actively deploying AI to enhance their operations, more and more companies are recognizing that replacing talent is problematic. Others are leveraging both technology and talent. NBC News Reported. A new study conducted by financial platform Ramp surveyed 21,599 organizations and found that companies with the highest levels of AI adoption increased employment by 10%, according to the data. “…Our data suggests that you should probably join a company that uses AI,” said Ara Harajian, chief economist at Lamp. And in some cases, major companies like Ford are rethinking their use of AI. BBC Reported. After reducing its engineering staff and increasing its reliance on AI for some design and development work, Ford found that its technology could not consistently match the expertise of experienced engineers. The cost of correcting AI-generated mistakes can then be significant. (Source: CNBC, NBC News, BBC)

Why this is important for small businesses:

The AI ​​hype continues. So be careful. My smartest clients are deploying AI in very specific and specific ways where ROI can be measured very specifically and without significant disruption to their operations. Consider expanding your use of the Office platform. Alternatively, you can build a small app to record and save all your conversations. Others connect to all systems and allow employees to prompt for all data. These are smaller but more effective AI use cases that have been successful with my clients this year.

Santander extends AI capabilities to 185,000 employees worldwide

Santander is driving an AI expansion with plans to increase access to AI tools to its 185,000 employees worldwide, making it one of the largest enterprise AI deployments in the banking industry. Santander Bank has generated more than EUR 35 million in revenue from AI implementation in the first quarter of 2026, based on 280 automated agents, automated workflows and AI-supported software development, and is focused on moving “AI from ambition to execution”. “We expect this number to increase further in the second quarter and are on track to exceed 200 million euros by the end of the year,” said Ricardo Martín Manjon, the bank’s chief data and AI officer. Santander treats AI as a core business function rather than a standalone technology. (Source: FinTech Futures)

Why this is important for small businesses:

Nowhere does it say that Santander will replace its employees with AI. They are smart enough to develop AI systems to power their teams and increase productivity, customer service, and profitability. This is an example of how small businesses should approach AI.

Pie raises $23.7M to bring AI-powered growth to Main Street businesses

Pie, an AI startup focused on Main Street businesses, announced $19.5 million in Series AI funding. The latest round, which has raised $23.7 million to date, was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from other firms including Capital One Ventures. Pie’s mission is to help small businesses reach more customers by providing AI-powered search tools as customer usage increases. Increase visibility across channels like Google Maps, Yelp, and Nextdoor. The company’s product is Front Desk – a new product that answers customer calls 24/7 and makes reservations and reservations. “Every owner I spoke to said the same thing: ‘We need more customers, but we can’t afford an agent.’ “We built Pie to solve that problem,” said Pie co-founder and CEO Syed Ali. (Source: Business Wire)

Why this is important for small businesses:

SEO, Adwords, and online growth have been seriously disrupted by AI over the past few years, and things are just getting started. Many companies are reporting a drop in web traffic as AI chatbots eat up clicks by providing users with answers instead of links to answers. Even as a full-time SEO specialist for the biggest brands, it’s difficult to stay ahead of these changes. So it makes sense for many small businesses, which don’t have the resources of larger companies, to use a platform like PIE to help with their campaigns and searches.

Agentic AI is expanding in manufacturing, but infrastructure gaps remain

Manufacturing is leveling up its AI capabilities, moving beyond generative AI chatbots to AI systems that can plan, decide, and execute tasks autonomously. According to Deloitte The future of manufacturing in 2025 According to the report, 87% of manufacturers have launched at least one generative AI pilot. The trend is no longer about whether to adopt AI, but rather how sophisticated the adoption of AI can be. (Source: Manufacturing Dive)

Why this is important for small businesses:

According to this article, despite enthusiasm for the transition to highly autonomous systems, most manufacturers are still grappling with significant data and infrastructure challenges before deploying these systems at scale. As many companies enter the next phase of adoption, they will need to further develop their AI expertise. Manufacturers have identified some of the issues at hand. According to Deloitte, 40% plan to invest in data analytics in the next two years.

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