128 THE LAST WORD The industrial AI battleground ‘AI Wars’ will be prominent in the manufacturing space this year as companies strive to overcome industry challenges Several key battlefronts are emerging as companies strive to establish dominance in the industrial AI space, including the realm of edge AI hardware and software. The demand for real-time data processing and analysis in harsh industrial environments is driving investment in hardwearing edge devices with local inferencing capabilities. These edge solutions – which range from intelligent automation systems to robotics, drones and other forms of physical intelligence – are increasingly critical for a wide range of industrial applications, including quality control, safety and predictive maintenance. Another major battleground is in cloud AI, where cloud hyperscalers are vying to monetise their massive data centre investments through ever more valuable industrial partner ecosystems. These companies are rapidly expanding their AI infrastructures and developing new tools and services to support the modernisation of virtually all software applications. The multi-agent orchestration of autonomous AI agents is taking industrial copilots and assistants to new levels of functionality and integration with core business processes. For example, Siemens is developing a generative AI-powered assistant for industrial engineering called the Siemens Industrial Copilot. Microsoft is incorporating fine-tuned small language models into in-vehicle digital assistants. It is also partnering with companies like Rockwell Automation to provide industry-specific AI models, such as the FT Optix Food & Beverage model, to frontline workers. And Sight Machine is releasing the Factory Namespace Manager, which helps manufacturers integrate plant floor data with corporate systems for end-to-end optimisation. These initiatives point towards a future where AI is seamlessly integrated into existing workflows, making it easier for industrial organisations to leverage the power of the technology. To achieve this, manufacturers need to shop for industrial AI talent. The demand for skilled data scientists with experience in industrial settings will continue to grow in the years to come. Companies that can attract and retain these individuals will be well-positioned to lead the next wave of innovation and transformation in the industrial sector. Colin Masson is director of research at ARC Advisory Group COLIN MASSON: ARC ADVISORY GROUP Photo:Adobe Stock/narong
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=