Ford CEO Jim Farley said AI will become a 'partner' for blue-collar workers, helping them handle complex tasks, acquire skills faster, and relieve skilled-labor shortages. He expects AI to initially affect standardized knowledge-based jobs such as finance, call centers and junior programmers, rather than on-site technical roles like electricians and technicians, and noted that over 10,000 Ford technicians now work with robots, fiber optics and automation equipment while Ford Pro uses AI to guide dealer technicians on engine repairs.