Join Our Webinar
AI for Manufacturers: Practical ERP Use Cases Without a Costly System Reset
Apr 9th, 2026 | 1 PM ET
Manufacturers feel intense pressure to adopt AI. However, most struggle to separate hype from operational reality. In this webinar, we explain what AI truly means inside a manufacturing ERP environment. First, we address common misconceptions. AI does not require replacing your ERP. It does not require enterprise-level budgets. And it is not reserved for Tier 1 manufacturers. Instead, AI should enhance your existing ERP and leverage the data you already own.
Next, we break down the core types of AI relevant to manufacturing. We examine predictive AI for demand forecasting and maintenance. We explore generative AI for SOP development and internal knowledge support. And we discuss operational AI for workflow automation, anomaly detection, and exception management. Then, we show how ERP acts as the structured data foundation. From there, AI becomes an augmentation layer across MES, CRM, and supply chain systems. Integration and clean data are critical. Without them, AI amplifies noise instead of insight.
Finally, we walk through practical manufacturing use cases. We analyze demand forecasting, production scheduling optimization, inventory control, quality monitoring, and sales and operations planning. For each example, we structure the discussion as Problem → AI Application → Operational Impact → ROI. You will leave with a disciplined, low-risk framework to start small, measure value quickly, and scale intelligently—without overspending or destabilizing your ERP landscape.
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Learning Objectives:
Understand why AI adoption in manufacturing is accelerating—and where the real value lies.
Differentiate between predictive AI, generative AI, and operational AI in an ERP context.
Learn how AI integrates with ERP, MES, CRM, and supply chain systems.
Identify high-impact manufacturing use cases, including forecasting, scheduling, inventory optimization, and quality control.
Apply a structured framework to start with AI augmentation instead of full transformation.
Develop a practical roadmap to measure ROI quickly and scale responsibly.
Speakers
Johnny Than
Founder & CEO of Group Services | Appficiency
As Head of Group Services at Appficiency, Johnny Than brings over 30 years of corporate IT experience spanning networking, client applications, and enterprise business systems. He has consulted on and delivered more than 300 successful projects, primarily serving the mid-market, along with select Fortune 500 organizations.
Johnny earned his MBA in Innovation and Strategic Marketing from McMaster University in 2001. Throughout his career, he has focused on industries including education, retail, manufacturing, and software development. At Appficiency, he has led the company in developing and scaling strategic verticals in partnership with blue-chip organizations such as Salesforce.com and NetSuite. Together, they have delivered solutions to over 1,000 clients and decision-makers.
Under his leadership, Appficiency has evolved into a service organization focused on engineering the technology that powers business growth, helping companies build scalable, integrated, and future-ready systems. In recognition of its performance and partnership excellence, Appficiency was awarded the two highest NetSuite Alliance Partner awards in North America in 2019.
On a personal note, Johnny is married with children and resides in Toronto, Canada. In his free time, he enjoys staying fit, playing video games, and listening to techno music.
Sam Gupta
CEO | ElevatIQ
Sam Gupta has been a thought leader in the digital transformation space for nearly two decades, with the primary focus on business software. Sam is rated as #1 thought leader in the ERP and CRM categories and #5 in the digital transformation category on Thinkers 360. He is also among the top 100 thought leaders across all categories. He has been part of large transformation initiatives for Fortune 500 corporations, but now spends his time consulting with SMEs as a CEO at ElevatIQ. Sam regularly speaks at industry conferences and contributes his experiences through many popular blogs and publications. He also hosts a podcast called WBSRocks, focused on business growth through digital transformation, where he interviews top influencers and executives focused on digital transformation.

