Operationalizing quality excellence through intelligent automationQUALITY | CASE STUDY Western Digital Corporation Challenge Solution Impact Western Digital Corporation sought to transform its quality function by reducing manual dependency, improving decision accuracy and enabling scalable, real-time quality operations across global manufacturing sites.A virtual process assistant (VPA) framework was implemented to enable human-AI collaboration across manufacturing quality operations. The solution combined data capture, analytics, decision support, automated actions and feedback loops to support real-time quality management. Specialized VPA supported defect detection, quality control and process monitoring. Critically, these VPAs were designed not merely to optimize local efficiency at individual sites, but to coordinate globally and orchestrate decisions across Western Digital's manufacturing network. This multi-agent architecture enabled quality intelligence from one facility to immediately benefit others.The solution transformed quality operations by, for example: –30% reduction in manual quality errors. –5× increase in workforce productivity through AI-powered digital assistants. –Establishing a scalable, human- led intelligent manufacturing operating model. Intelligent Industrial Operations Outlook 2026 21