When considering the potential for AI systems to vary manufacturing, Ritu Jyoti, global AI research lead at market-intelligence firm IDC, points to windmill manufacturers.

To enhance windmills before AI, she says, the corporate analyzed data from observing a functioning prototype, a process that took weeks. Now, the manufacturer has dramatically shortened the method using a digital twin—a digital model of the operational windmill—using machine learning (ML) and AI to create and simulate improvements.

“Sometimes it was inconceivable and physically difficult for them to even go and get all of the measurements, in order that they used drones and AI technologies to generate a digital win,” Jyoti says. This manufacturer now sees this AI/ML technology as essential. “Because in the event that they’re not doing it, they’re not going to be relevant,” she says.

Disruption in manufacturing and the provision chain has pushed businesses toward digital transformation as they seek ways to remain competitive. For manufacturers, these disruptions—together with the arrival of AI—present opportunities to make manufacturing more efficient, safer, and sustainable.

Corporations can use AI to streamline processes and fight downtime, adopt robotics that promote safety and speed, allow AI to detect anomalies quickly through computer vision, and develop AI systems to process vast volumes of information to discover patterns and predict customer needs.

“In manufacturing, the most important advantages come when people from the business are capable of work along with data experts, using data and AI to get insights, ultimately taking actions to enhance their processes,” says Pierre Goutorbe, AI solutions director for energy and manufacturing at Dataiku. “The more employees get aware of AI and use it every day, the more we’ll see the profit from it,” he says.

Speeding up the adoption of AI

Between supply-chain disruptions and employee shortages, the manufacturing sector has been innovating to remain ahead in the worldwide marketplace. Nonetheless, a June 2023 study by Dataiku and Databricks found manufacturing lags behind other industries, with a couple of quarter (24%) of firms still on the exploration or experimentation stage by way of AI adoption, while only about one-fifth (19%) of firms across all other industries are still on this starting stage.