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