AI Action Lab Event Targets Shop Floor and Operational Use Cases in Manufacturing
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A new hands-on event in Kansas City will bring manufacturers together with AI developers to focus on applying artificial intelligence to real production and operational challenges.
The Kansas City AI Action Lab, scheduled for April 23 at Lightwell KC, is designed as a working session where participants develop practical AI applications using their own operational data. The event targets industries including manufacturing, with a focus on improving processes such as production planning, administrative workflows and day-to-day operations.
The event will feature four collaborative sessions, or “micro-hacks,” where attendees work directly with developers to build and test AI tools. Organizers said participants are expected to bring real manufacturing problems and data sets, allowing teams to prototype solutions that can be applied in production environments.
The approach reflects a growing need among manufacturers to move beyond pilot projects and identify practical ways to deploy AI on the shop floor and in plant operations.
“We’re done with panels,” said Chris Draper, founder of morriganAI and co-creator of the event. “We’re here to solve problems.”
Organizers said the format is intended to help manufacturers better understand how AI can be applied to specific use cases, rather than relying on high-level discussions that often leave implementation unclear.
The event is part of a broader expansion of AI Action Lab sessions planned across several U.S. cities in 2026. Regional organizations and industry groups are supporting the Kansas City event to align discussions with the needs of local manufacturing and industrial companies.
Registration is open, with participants encouraged to bring laptops and production or operational data to support hands-on development during the sessions.
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