The gathering of hundreds of companies at an Apple Manufacturing Academy event showed how far Apple’s program has gone to increase the use of AI and automation in the supply chain.
Launched in 2025, the Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit helped teach American workers how to use new technologies in production. At the Apple Manufacturing Academy’s first spring forum in East Lansing, Michigan, the program was shown to improve the way American businesses operate.
In a press release about the event, Apple talks about Block Imaging, a medical imaging equipment maintenance and refurbishment company that participated in the academy. The company welcomed attendees for a tour of its facilities to show how Apple’s program has improved factory efficiency.
Katie Runyon, director of technical training at Block Imaging, said training from Apple engineers and Michigan State experts provided much-needed hands-on tools and techniques. Applied immediately in the factory, it quickly helped improve how Block worked and what it provided to healthcare companies.
Block was one of four off-site visits to the forum, which also included Michigan State University’s Rare Isotope Beam Facilities and the MSU Dairy Cattle Education and Research Center.
Event themes included discussions on the role of AI in factories and the challenges of implementing AI solutions at scale. A fireside chat also covered how AI is transforming everyday manufacturing operations, as well as the skills needed for an AI-driven economy.
“We created the Apple Manufacturing Academy with Michigan State because we wanted to bring advanced manufacturing techniques to American manufacturers,” said Priya Balasubramaniam, Apple’s vice president of product operations. “Our goal was to create real-world applications that help businesses improve productivity and efficiency.”
The Apple Manufacturing Academy was launched as part of Apple’s commitment to invest $600 billion in the United States. This is a free program pairing representatives from Apple and MSU with small and medium-sized U.S. businesses, with a focus on implementing smart manufacturing techniques as well as AI.
In addition to the training events, participants also receive additional support from Apple over the following months.
So far, more than 150 U.S. companies have participated in dozens of in-person training sessions. This number is expected to increase with the launch of virtual programming sessions.