Key highlights
- The article helps demystify artificial intelligence by distinguishing between different AI technologies.
- It also explores realistic and existing uses of AI in industrial settings.
Let’s be clear, artificial intelligence (AI) can never be confused with human thought, but there's no reason to forget about it. Despite fears of surrendering control of our businesses, and lives for that matter, to a dystopian future dominated by a rise of robots, AI offers realistic benefits that can enhance industrial operations. We just need to understand how to make it work for us, and there’s the rub.
I recently participated in a series of video webinars with colleagues, and we sought to, albeit in broad strokes, break through the confusion about AI in process automation applications. For starters, all AI is not created equal, so we went beyond the buzz and examined the different types of AI technology, from generative AI to neural networks. We looked at how they're used for vastly different applications in the industrial sector.
We also weighed the safety concerns and risks of integrating AI into process automation. Finally, we took a closer look at the pitfalls and promises of using AI in control systems.
We talk a lot about AI these days, but do we really understand it? We're not the only ones trying to wrap our collective heads around it. Recent industry conferences show that AI is at the top of process automation professionals’ minds in many different sectors, and with good reason. The adoption of AI technology can change the paradigm of how control systems function, and how workforces in plants and factories are managed. There’s potential for increasing efficiency and safety. There’s even a chance to make a bigger difference in sustainable operations, if we can offset its expanded energy requirements. Some people even say AI is making operational technology "cool" again for up-and-coming generations of technicians.
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Because there's a lot to grasp and understand, there's also confusion and consternation, both of which keep the introduction of AI into control systems under tight watch. But that’s not stopping it from gaining momentum.
So, how do you use, or plan to use AI, in your control systems? How should you use it? I invite you to take our most recent quiz, and you just may learn a thing or two about AI that you weren’t expecting.
