Who’s old enough to remember the emergence of CAD?

Between the 1970s and 1990s, Western aerospace and auto firms invested heavily in custom CAD software to create technical advantages. However, not everyone viewed this rapid adoption positively. In 1972, Lockheed engineer Ben Rich, who later led Skunk Works, criticized IBM and computers in general, arguing they made engineers lazy and dulled their experience. He believed aerospace design was an art, drawing parallels to current discussions around AI.

This historical account from 1972 offers a rare, early critique of CAD adoption, unlike most contemporary discussions that focus on its benefits.