#43: Generative AI's Role in Smart Manufacturing

How will generative AI influence the manufacturing floor? How do you optimise industry production with a chatbot? And how do we get to a world of enough for everyone? I am immensely pleased to announce the latest episode of The Only Constant with the brilliant Jeff Winter as my guest. In this splendid episode, we discuss the changes needed and happening in industrial manufacturing following the emergence of generative AI, and what it means to change for the better.

Read more about Jeff at the bottom of this newsletter.

As always, I am very happy that we once again managed to make an episode that explores more than it explains ??

Listen to the episode here:

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What made this episode special to me?:

Jeff is extremely generous with his insights. His content is a cornucopia of frameworks, perspectives and actionable information that makes LinkedIn better for it. I got to know Jeff some years back, and over the years we've had some chats - and Jeff is always on hand to offer advice and best practices on how to improve content or approach a problem. This also naturally meant I had to have Jeff on the show - The Only Constant is about sharing more than needed, going deeper than expected, and exploring areas our of the ordinary. And that requires a generous guest - like Jeff.

Our discussion took us far and wide, and I have a lot of insightful notes from it. But most of all, I cannot help going back over how Jeff answered my question on how to get to a world of abundance: we do not yet need to discuss excess, but access. So many people still does not have access to welfare and good life commodities, and perhaps this should be the dream of entrepreneurs - enough for more, not more for the few... splendid answer!

My (other) key post-recording deliberations are:

• Every company has become a software company, or added digital services, or claim to live of data modernisation. And still around 70% of companies failed digital transformation. Is digital a marketing claim, or a reality? And what does it really mean to digitally transform truly?
• Demand tends to follow supply. Think about that. AI will create overwhelming supply - but we will still be demanding more, or something different.
• A world of true abundance would mean we'd transition from "protect what we have" to more long term transformational, non-defensive investments. Boy does that seem to be a far cry right now?...
• Most changes are brown field. Most successful factories are also brown field. There is a balance to when you modernise, optimise and transform. It isn't just a simple, narrow imperative. It has to be balanced against company value prop.

I truly enjoyed having Jeff's insights in the podcast, and I am super pleased to announce this episode for all to enjoy!

About Jeff Winter :

Jeff Winter is a distinguished expert in Industry 4.0 and digital transformation, with nearly two decades of experience in industrial automation. He has held senior roles at Grantek, Microsoft, and Hitachi Solutions, advising multi-billion-dollar firms on shaping their digital strategies. In September 2024, Jeff joined Critical Manufacturing as Vice President of Business Strategy, driving strategic growth, business development, and helping the company expand its influence in the global manufacturing landscape.

Throughout his career, Jeff has been recognized for his ability to simplify complex technological concepts, making them accessible to a wide range of audiences. His active involvement in industry organizations, including serving on the International Board of Directors for MESA International and the International Society of Automation (ISA), underscores his commitment to advancing the manufacturing sector.

Jeff's thought leadership is further demonstrated through his substantial online presence, with over 130,000 LinkedIn followers and more than 70 million post impressions, reflecting his dedication to industry engagement and education. His contributions have earned him multiple awards, including #1 Industry 4.0 influencer in 2024 by Onalytica, solidifying his reputation as a leading figure in the field.