# 205: How to Leverage GenAI to Get Out of "Pilot Purgatory" and Address Your Workforce Challenges with Rockwell Automation's Andrew Hastert

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2024-10-01
- Length: 59m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-10-01-205-how-to-leverage-genai-to-get-out-of-pilot-purgatory-and-address-your-workfor
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Andrew Hastert, Director of Digital Strategy and Portfolio at Rockwell Automation, explains how generative AI and causal inference can help manufacturers escape "pilot purgatory" by simplifying complex tasks like programming and troubleshooting. He highlights that AI addresses the industry's talent crisis by capturing tribal knowledge and empowering new workers, while also noting that Software as a Service (SaaS) remains a primary source of ROI. Hastert advises manufacturers to focus on specific business challenges, partner with established technology providers like Microsoft and NVIDIA, and adopt off-the-shelf solutions such as Guardian AI to drive autonomous decision-making.

## Chapters

- [0:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-10-01-205-how-to-leverage-genai-to-get-out-of-pilot-purgatory-and-address-your-workfor#t=46) Introduction: Andrew Hastert and Rockwell Automation
- [6:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-10-01-205-how-to-leverage-genai-to-get-out-of-pilot-purgatory-and-address-your-workfor#t=401) Defining Generative AI vs. Traditional AI
- [10:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-10-01-205-how-to-leverage-genai-to-get-out-of-pilot-purgatory-and-address-your-workfor#t=659) Addressing Workforce Challenges and Talent Shortages
- [29:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-10-01-205-how-to-leverage-genai-to-get-out-of-pilot-purgatory-and-address-your-workfor#t=1763) Escaping Pilot Purgatory with Causal Inference
- [45:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-10-01-205-how-to-leverage-genai-to-get-out-of-pilot-purgatory-and-address-your-workfor#t=2728) The ROI of SaaS and Cloud Computing
- [51:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-10-01-205-how-to-leverage-genai-to-get-out-of-pilot-purgatory-and-address-your-workfor#t=3109) Call to Action: Partnerships and Autonomous Systems

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Rockwell Automation (company)
- Microsoft (company)
- NVIDIA (company)
- Guardian AI (product)
- GitHub Copilot (product)
- Midjourney (product)
- Fortinet (company)
- DemonFlyingFox (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [AI, Digital Transformation, and Innovations with Arch Systems Cofounder and CEO, Andrew Scheuermann](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-14-ai-digital-transformation-and-innovations-with-arch-systems-cofounder-and-ceo-an) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [Revolutionizing Everything, Even Manufacturing: The Transformative Power of AI with Emily Laird](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-03-18-revolutionizing-everything-even-manufacturing-the-transformative-power-of-ai-wit) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [The Power of Generative AI in Predictive Maintenance: A Conversation with Rob Russell from Siemens](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2024-06-05-the-power-of-generative-ai-in-predictive-maintenance-a-conversation-with-rob-rus) (Over the Air)
- [The AI-Empowered, Superhuman Design Engineer w/ Milan Kocic](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-09-05-the-ai-empowered-superhuman-design-engineer-w-milan-kocic) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [From Blueprints to Automation: Revolutionizing Work Instructions w/ Fil Aronshtein](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-09-30-from-blueprints-to-automation-revolutionizing-work-instructions-w-fil-aronshtein) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-10-01-205-how-to-leverage-genai-to-get-out-of-pilot-purgatory-and-address-your-workfor. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Manufacturing Happy Hour.