CXO INSIGHT
Edge devices and IoT sensors so that they can gain complete visibility of their operations – securely – anywhere , anytime , enabled to make smarter decisions .
Which advanced technologies are having a surge in popularity with businesses ?
Unsurprisingly , the hot topic is AI and it is rapidly advancing . Although a big buzzword these days , AI is not one thing , but a science comprised of many technologies , some of which have been around since the 1950s . Machine Learning began entering the business world about 20 years ago and has made a huge impact over the past decade with solutions like predictive maintenance and the streamlining of business processes . Other specialised types of AI have also come into play such as Deep Learning and reinforcement learning , and they are making significant impacts on business transformation in areas such as finance , operations , medicine , forecasting , optimisation , human collaboration , personalisation , cybersecurity and much more . For the industrial world , AVEVA is infusing AI across key areas of design , build , operate , maintain and optimise .
AI-driven automation and decision-making are much more prevalent and the proliferation of IoT devices is creating a connected ecosystem enabling data sharing and automation . Meanwhile , the deployment of 5G networks will revolutionise communication , providing faster speeds and lower latency , supporting advancements in areas like Virtual Reality , Augmented Reality and autonomous vehicles .
It is no longer a choice of whether to embark on this journey , but how to do this efficiently and effectively . We see AI as the brains behind the Digital Twin where data is the foundational source of knowledge for anything that AI can achieve . With IoT and the proliferation of data comes much more intelligent and capable AI .
More recently generative AI concepts , where a Large Language Model ( LLM ) called GPT was offered for public consumption by OpenAI . New ideas for that technology surface every day as do new LLMs . This is rapidly evolving with more comprehensive models and new tools being built around it .
We see all of this evolving in stages from software being a tool assisting humans as it is today to software working alongside humans and eventually doing most of the ‘ heavy lifting ’ while humans supervise and make the more strategic decisions . And , as things progress , fully autonomous operations will become commonplace throughout the business world . We ’ ve begun moving from task-based AI to objective-driven with human supervision . We see this as a huge benefit to businesses where goals can be set for AI , information can be dynamically linked in context and AI can identify problems and automatically solve them for human ‘ supervisors ’. We ’ re just at the beginning of AI being a key asset in business and have hardly scratched the surface of its capabilities .
Tell me more about your job role . As a creator of 26 patents , where do you start your thinking process ?
I am the Chief Product Officer at AVEVA , leading our corporate strategy , product management and research and development teams to drive innovative software solutions across the business .
I have over 25 years of experience working in the industrial software sector with a focus on manufacturing and infrastructure . I head up innovation and R & D ( Research & Development ) and I ’ m very proud to lead these incredible teams . We have a culture of innovation , which means that all teams are encouraged to challenge the ‘ normal ’ approach with new ideas which can inspire beyond the status quo and deliver improvements . Ideation and creativity are key , and that ’ s why we build time into our product management and development process for these needs . Since this outlook is cultural , it tends to drive itself and it makes for a stimulating and more enjoyable environment for the teams . We have a keen eye for novel ideas and a healthy programme for acquiring new patents .
Why are there persistent disruptions in supply chains post-COVID ?
For the supply chain service provider and its customers , the COVID-19 global pandemic heavily impacted business . Just-in-time shipping became unstable due to closed ports and a shortage of delivery personnel . Sudden shifts in consumers ’ daily lives and priorities caused demand spikes , or erased demand altogether . The pandemic also caused workforce disruptions and the attrition of seasoned operators . With markets remaining volatile , with prices , demand and supply in flux , the industry adapted with a corresponding wave of digitisation across the business world . However , digitisation takes time . www . intelligentcxo . com
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