In the face of a looming talent crisis, with over 3 million manufacturing jobs expected to remain unfilled in the next decade, the industry is turning to generative AI as a vital solution.
Host Chris Luecke talks with Andrew Hastert, Director of Digital Strategy and Portfolio at Rockwell Automation, in this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour about how GenAI can not only streamline operations but also empower a new generation of workers who may lack traditional manufacturing experience.
They cover GenAI’s ability to simplify complex tasks, such as programming and troubleshooting, which could significantly reduce the barriers for entry-level employees and help preserve critical tribal knowledge that is at risk of being lost as experienced workers retire.
As generative AI continues to evolve, it promises to transform how manufacturers approach workforce challenges. And, in this conversation, Chris and Andrew shed light on its potential to not just fill gaps but also enhance productivity and innovation within manufacturing.
Subscribe
Apple | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube
3 Quick Things from this Episode
- AI is addressing workforce challenges in manufacturing by capturing and using tribal knowledge from retiring experts. This allows new employees to quickly access critical expertise, reducing training time and operational risks.
- With generative AI, we can capture tribal knowledge and make it accessible, allowing fresh talent to troubleshoot and solve problems effectively on the plant floor.
- The key to leveraging AI in manufacturing is to focus on your biggest business challenges first, then explore how technology can help you achieve those goals.
Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!
Tweetable Quotes
- “I think the promise of generative AI is to dramatically simplify how we take our information, our support documentation, our tribal knowledge, document it, and get it into a large language model.”
- “Generative AI is just an application of AI using the transformer model to get new patterns generated, based on former patterns.”
- “Generative AI is not just about automation; it’s about empowering new workers to tackle complex tasks that traditionally required years of experience.”
Please Scroll Down for Recommended Resources from this Episode
Do you want to connect with other leaders that are moving the needle in manufacturing everyday? Then make sure to join us in the Manufacturing Happy Hour Industry Community on LinkedIn.
A fragmented operational environment makes designing, sourcing and producing parts slower, more costly and more error prone than it needs to be. CADDi connects manufacturing data across your entire operational ecosystem so your team can put it to use. By analyzing drawings to extract data, you create a link to every PO, CAM file or spec sheet that design has ever been associated with. This lets your team start to leverage hidden commonalities across your parts catalog to optimize production and reduce cost.
Fortinet secures the world’s largest enterprises, service providers, and government organizations along their digital transformation journey. The Fortinet Security Fabric platform delivers broad, integrated, and automated protections across the entire digital attack surface. They secure critical devices, data, applications, and connections from the production floor, to the data center, and to the cloud.
What We Discuss with Andrew
- Andrew defines AI as applying math to data to derive insights not possible with traditional methods, using powerful parallel computing
- He explains how GenAI uses the transformer model to create new patterns based on existing ones, widening access to AI capabilities
- Hear how the manufacturing industry faces a significant talent shortage, with over 3 million unfilled jobs projected in the next decade
- Learn how GenAI can help address workforce challenges by simplifying complex tasks like programming and troubleshooting
- Andrew talks about data management and AI integration
- How AI is seen as the top technology to address workforce challenges due to its ability to capture and utilize tribal knowledge
- Escaping Pilot Purgatory with GenAI
- How The State of Smart Manufacturing report indicates that talent remains the biggest challenge for industrial companies
- Manufacturers are advised to focus on their biggest business challenges first, then consider how AI can help address them
Recommended Resources
- Rockwell Automation, the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation, digital transformation, and information solutions
- State of Smart Manufacturing Report, insights on AI, industrial SaaS, and more based of surveying hundreds of manufacturing leaders
- DemonFlyingFox, AI artist who uses MidJourney AI to bring Balenciaga to the world of Harry Potter
- The Vanguard, a Milwaukee whiskey and comfort cuisine institution specializing in late-night, house-made sausage
Recent Comments