86 FEATURE for manufacturers new value unlocks Agentic AI BY RICHARD HUMPHREYS Rupert Stuetzle explains how Microsoft is bridging the gap between legacy data and modern AI-driven insights, thereby enabling the manufacturing industry to become smarter, more responsive and highly connected Industrial enterprises around the world produced nearly two zettabytes (one billion terabytes) of data in 2023, and that figure is expected to double within five years, according to ABI Research, which provides market research on transformative technologies. However, much of this valuable information remains underutilised across the manufacturing industry. But with the rise of new technologies and AI, manufacturers can now harness this data in unprecedented ways, unlocking efficiency, agility and innovation across their operations. Technologies like Azure IoT Operations, Microsoft Fabric, Azure AI and Copilot Studio are bridging the gap between legacy data and modern AI-driven insights, enabling factories to become smarter, more responsive and highly connected. But what is at the heart of this transformation? The digital thread. “The digital thread revolutionises manufacturing and quality control by seamlessly connecting data across the entire product lifecycle, enabling real-time problem-solving, enhanced efficiency and improved customer satisfaction,” says Rupert Stuetzle, general manager of manufacturing and mobility in EMEA for Microsoft Germany. “Imagine you are the quality control manager at a large electronics manufacturer. You have received reports of a serious, recurring component issue for a newly released product, which unfortunately has led to a recall. Historically, the only solution would be to issue a full recall, which has significant financial, operational and reputational consequences. However, with the digital thread to provide comprehensive visibility into your organisation’s data you can trace the entire production history of the defective product, from design to final assembly, within a few simple clicks. “The digital thread helps you to quickly identify a fault in a specific batch of components sourced from a single supplier. Armed with this insight, you can determine the exact scope of the affected products, work with the supplier to amend the situation and initiate an extremely precise, targeted recall. This swift, data-driven response mitigates customer inconvenience, and helps preserve a brand’s reputation.”
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