Horizons
AI in Manufacturing and Product Development
AI + Manufacturing: From “Make to Sell” to “Sell to Make”
AI isn’t just changing media and marketing — it’s beginning to flip the entire manufacturing process.
- Alibaba’s radical model: Instead of producing first and hoping products sell, Alibaba is using AI to design products, generate images, videos and copy, then list them online before they’re made. Manufacturing only happens once enough demand is proven
- Efficiency unlocked: This “sell to make” model cuts waste, reduces risk, and ensures production is driven by real customer demand rather than guesswork
- Amazon déjà vu?: Amazon has long undercut markets by producing cheaper versions of popular products. AI takes that further, accelerating the loop between demand signals and in-house production
- The challenge: How long before customers lose patience if demand is flagged but products never arrive? The balance between speed, trust and AI-led efficiency will be key
What we’re seeing is more than a tweak to supply chains, it’s a fundamental rethink of how products come to market.
Horizons is watching this space, because the shift from make-to-sell to sell-to-make could redefine global commerce.