149: Thriving with AI: Artificial Intelligence Strategies for Manufacturers with Jeff Winter

Manufacturing Happy Hour · 15 Aug 2023 · 44m

AI in practice: one real use of AI described

What this episode covers

Jeff Winter, Sr. Director of Industry Strategy at Hitachi Solutions America, explains the hierarchy of AI technologies and outlines five progressive modes for manufacturers to augment or automate decisions, noting that companies using all five modes see the greatest financial benefit. He highlights specific use cases like FritoLay’s Banzai system for real-time process control and Nissan’s AI-driven predictive maintenance, while citing reports from Microsoft, Rockwell Automation, and the Manufacturing Leadership Council on Industry 4.0 KPIs and investment trends. Winter argues that despite the hype around generative AI, the most critical investment for manufacturers over the next five years is upskilling and reskilling the workforce to handle data and digital transformation.

AI in practice

Where this conversation describes AI being used to build or deliver a product. Part of the AI in practice tracker.

ManufacturingAI preventative maintenance platformreduction of 50% unplanned downtime; payback period in less than 3 months

Nissan used an AI platform to forecast the remaining useful life of approximately 7,500 assets, which led to a significant reduction in unplanned downtime and a rapid return on investment.

“Nissan actually runs this AI preventative maintenance platform to do the remaining kind of useful life forecasting of something like 7500 assets. And Nissan claims that their unplanned downtime, it resulted in a reduction of 50% and had a payback period in less than 3 months by using AI for preventive maintenance.”

Speaker 1 · Hear it at 22:39

Mentioned

Companies
Hitachi Solutions, Microsoft, Rockwell Automation, FritoLay, Nissan, OpenAI
Products
Banzai, ChatGPT

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