EXECUTIVE INSIGHT
“ THE MOST EXCITING DEVELOPMENT FOR ME IS AI . IT CAPTURES SO MUCH ATTENTION DUE TO ITS UNPRECEDENTED ACCESSIBILITY ”
SIMON FLOYD , GENERAL MANAGER FOR MANUFACTURING AND MOBILITY INDUSTRIES FOR THE AMERICAS , MICROSOFT
AI can be the heart of automation or perform autonomous actions but with supervision – just like a copilot in the real world . It can also traverse large volumes of data to obtain insights into current or future events .
People can now see the possibilities firsthand and , at Microsoft , we have demonstrated practical applications that deliver real business value . It ’ s truly gratifying to witness this transformation .
While AI as a concept isn ’ t new – we ’ ve been working with machine learning , anomaly detection and various AI technologies for years – Gen AI has rejuvenated interest . Manufacturers now view it as an essential tool for innovation and advancement .
Q . WHY IS MONITORING PERFORMANCE SO CRITICAL FOR MANUFACTURERS TODAY ?
» Without question , monitoring forms the foundation of any decision that ’ s made in a factory . This could be monitoring equipment , the supply chain or end customer deliveries . Monitoring is incredibly important because , in manufacturing , the time to respond is what matters .
Monitoring plays a crucial role in mitigating events that hinder
64 January 2025