Digital Mindset: How AI Enhances, Not Replaces, Professional Capabilities

A recording of FPSA's webinar on artificial intelligence in the food & beverage industry, held October 8, 2025. This session detailed how artificial intelligence isn’t on the horizon anymore; rather, it’s already here, reshaping how companies compete, innovate, and make decisions. But for many in food manufacturing and processing, adoption is slowed by concerns about privacy, culture, or simply not knowing where to begin. Highlights from the discussion: ✔ Adoption & mindset shift over fear: Panelists Colin Gerson (Festo) and Eric Lescourret (JBT Marel) shared how organizations are helping employees see AI as a tool for enablement and growth—not replacement. ✔ Democratizing AI use: From prompt engineering to co-pilot tools, both speakers showed that AI is accessible to everyone in the organization — not just data scientists — and is already transforming how work gets done in back-office and customer-facing roles. ✔ Real-world applications: Examples ranged from automating trade analysis and sales prospecting to capturing knowledge from experienced technicians before retirement — demonstrating how AI improves efficiency and retains critical expertise. ✔ Future skills for leaders and teams: Critical thinking and comfort with AI tools will define the next generation of leaders who can “industrialize their capacity” and help organizations grow in a world of constraints. Speakers: Colin Gerson | Vice President of IT for the Americas | FESTO Eric Lescourret | Director of Digital Product Management | JBT Marel Moderator: Ben Reeder | Director of Business Development & Marketing | Webber/Smith Associates, Inc. To view future FPSA webinars, click here: https://fpsa.org/event-calendar