Don’t you love it when a co-worker has your back — the person who has the data you need to shine in front of the boss, to brainstorm with, and to inspire you when you’re stuck? With Microsoft’s Copilot, a new AI assistant, everyone can have an AI companion that provides support. Kathleen Mitford, corporate vice president, global industry marketing at Microsoft, delivered an IMTS+ Main Stage presentation titled “Accelerate Industrial Transformation with AI.” Mitford provided background on AI assistants, then cited three case studies that could inspire all manufacturers to learn more. Microsoft and partner Avanade helped Bridgestone create a custom Copilot that would find production slowdowns simply when prompted by a frontline worker. The Copilot responded by searching the data and finding the exact location of the slowdown. “Think about how much time this is saving them in doing their daily work and how this helps them improve the efficiency of their factory,” says Mitford, who explains there is a quantum shift happening in the manufacturing industry being driven by AI. AI is no longer just a tool, it’s a force that empowers manufacturing due to a “unique moment of convergence,” where people, data, and AI are coming together. That is a trifecta with huge implications for the manufacturing industry. AI can assist in the creation of custom-designed products, such as at Harting, maker of connectivity components for industrial environments and mission-critical applications. Product requests, often from customer designs, require a CAD model. Previously, workers may have taken hours to search through existing components or possibly design more custom components to complete the product model. Now they can speak or text requirements for the model and get a CAD design automatically. Mitford also cites using Copilots in the aviation industry. Textron, a global manufacturer of helicopters and private airplanes (among many other things), partnered with Microsoft to automate the search for technical challenges and how to resolve them. As result, Textron could help aircraft get airborne faster, a benefit any traveler can appreciate. Mitford describes the AI transformation in manufacturing as “something we’ve all been dreaming about and talking about for 10 years, and today AI is real and happening now.” Want to dive deeper? Watch Mitford’s full presentation on IMTS+ at IMTS.com/Accelerate and explore more insight from IMTS 2024 on IMTS+ at IMTS.com.
Kathleen Mitford, corporate vice president at Microsoft, reveals how AI assistants like Copilot can revolutionize manufacturing. Her IMTS+ Main Stage presentation highlights inspiring case studies and AI's transformative impact on efficiency and innovation.
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