Episode 3: All About AI
Last month, Jeff and Scott covered how data is everything and how "clean" data is paramount in most (if not all) digital transformation projects in manufacturing. Turning to this month, the guys get into what everyone, it seems, is talking about ... and a transformation project that is almost totally dependent on decent production information. That is, of course, artificial intelligence.
In this episode, Jeff addresses all the attention AI is getting: “About wanting the AI hype to blow over—honestly, I don't see many companies wanting that. Everyone wants to talk about it, strategize around it, and plan for it. Not everyone is investing at the same levels, but I haven't met a single company yet—zero—that says, ‘AI, not of interest right now.’ Even the laggards are strategizing. They might be slower to implement, but they’re definitely not ignoring it. BIG difference.”
Questions Jeff answers in this episode:
Why is the AI landscape seemingly so exciting yet so uncertain? Is this a matter that companies maybe want the hype to blow over, let others make the mistakes and gather the lessons learned before they jump in themselves?
Isn’t it especially important for companies to have data that is in order and accessible for any AI-related project or pilot to get off the ground? And aren’t there use cases for AI that actually help companies make use of the data they’ve always gathered but never have used to its full advantage?
How can small or mid-sized manufacturers in rural areas get started?
Any surprising AI use cases delivering unexpected value? Similar to Don Li's question - what are the top use cases in manufacturing?
What's the biggest AI miss you've seen?
Where do you anticipate AI will progress in the next 5-10 years?
What's your take on AI's role in jobs moving forward?
Sources Referenced:
Sikich Industry Purlse - Manufacturing + Distribution 2024: https://www.sikich.com/industries/manufacturing/manufacturing-industry-pulse/
Rootstock - State of AI in Manufacturing, 2023: https://www.rootstock.com/artifical-intelligence-manufacturing-survey/
MIT Technology Review & Microsoft - Taking AI to the Next Level in Manufacturing: https://info.microsoft.com/ww-landing-taking-ai-to-the-next-level-in-manufacturing.html?lcid=en-us
McKinsey & Company - The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier, 2023: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-economic-potential-of-generative-ai-the-next-productivity-frontier#business-value
The Register - Air Canada must pay damages after chatbot lies to grieving passenger about discount, 2024: https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/15/air_canada_chatbot_fine/
CIO - Thor Olavsrud - 10 famous AI disasters, 2024: https://www.cio.com/article/190888/5-famous-analytics-and-ai-disasters.html
