The University of Notre Dame’s iNDustry Labs Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in Manufacturing and Logistics Executive Group hosted more than 30 regional business leaders at its kickoff event in December 2025. During “Key Considerations for implementing GenAI in your organization,” those in attendance received information from two regional experts in AI implementation, and held discussions around how to best harness the power of this technology.
The event came after the iNDustry Labs assembled its GenAI in Manufacturing and Logistics Group Report, outlining goals of aligning state, University, and regional needs. In October 2025, iNDustry Labs conducted a survey with 21 manufacturing and logistics companies in the South Bend–Elkhart region, which confirmed a need to address GenAI governance and workforce skill gaps to enable companies to integrate the powerful technology into businesses.
“We aim to support companies in leveraging Notre Dame resources to unlock business value in our region,” said Maria Gibbs, executive director of iNDustry Labs. “Through connecting the South Bend–Elkhart business community to resources at the University, we hope to empower and advance our regional partners with knowledge to continue to innovate and grow their businesses. In turn, we hope initiatives like this one will bring more opportunities and investments in the area.”
The discussion with the group was guided by iNDustry Labs’ Dave Hemler, senior director, experiential learning and economic engagement, and Alex Topavolic, strategic operations coordinator. Maggie King, a technology and intellectual property transactions attorney at SouthBank Legal and Notre Dame Law School alumni, as well as Brandon Rich, director, AI Enablement at Notre Dame, gave insights on both opportunities and potential considerations to make when analyzing how to best implement GenAI into workflows and manufacturing environments.
Rich’s presentation focused on sharing insights that his team at Notre Dame had learned through their process of exploring ways to use AI tools with different departments and across the academy. He shared the University’s AI resources, including case studies and use case scenarios, discussing pros and cons of multiple approaches and programs. While tailoring his talk to the business community, he spoke about the entry points for enterprise accounts, as well as shared which solutions were more capable of being implemented successfully in certain industry environments.
King outlined areas of risk to consider when implementing Generative AI at firms, and best practices to avoid common pitfalls.
“As we continue to get to know the needs of leaders in our regional industries, we can create better ways to support and serve their growth,” said Gibbs. “We see the need regionally is in building capability, not in capital investment, and we can help build that within our community.”
The South Bend–Elkhart Region GenAI in Manufacturing and Logistics Executive Group provides exclusive access to Notre Dame’s GenAI initiative activities, like workshops, lectures, research reports, student teams, faculty and staff advisory, and peer executive collaboration. On March 18, the group will host its next AI-focused event: Q1 AI Keynotes, joining focused on bringing together C-suite and leadership guests for conversations surrounding "Measuring AI Return on Investment" and "Tire Rack's AI Journey."
Learn more about the event and how to attend by visiting: Q1 AI Keynotes.
To learn more and get involved, visit: GenAI in Manufacturing and Logistics Executive Group
About iNDustry Labs
iNDustry Labs at the University of Notre Dame helps companies unlock a competitive advantage for the South Bend - Elkhart Region. iNDustry Labs forms long-term partnerships with regional companies that drive innovation, economic resilience, and real-world impact for both industry and University.
Learn more by visiting industrylabs.nd.edu.
Contact: Christina Clark, Research Communications Specialist
iNDustry Labs | Notre Dame Research | University of Notre Dame
cclark26@nd.edu | 574.631.2665
Originally published by at industrylabs.nd.edu on March 12, 2026.