The Last Mile Problem: How TechFlow Crossed the AI Pilot-to-Production Chasm
TechFlow Manufacturing, a $1.8B industrial equipment maker, spent 14 months stuck in "AI pilot purgatory" with impressive demos but zero production impact. By addressing the "last mile problem"—organizational readiness, governance architecture, and production infrastructure—they deployed their first agentic AI system in 6 months, achieving $3.2M in validated savings. This case study reveals the hidden gap between successful pilots and production-ready AI.