Figuring out the process is a complex task. A complex task that (imo) is very likely to be solved better by some sort of AI approach than human tinkering. That's where I see software innovation in production. Having an efficient lab/simulation toolkit where you can constantly improve your processes (probably a human/computer hybrid).
I'm not sure that the actual manufacturing processes are that amenable to the application of AI as they are typically dictated by the actual physical work being done. However, scheduling and, in some environments, pricing in ERP systems can benefit from more advanced techniques though not sure that the ones I have seen would qualify as "AI".
