Virtual Industrial Assistance – How the New AI Copilots are Stepping Up

AI Copilots Boost Industrial Operations

Industries now embrace AI assistants like ChatGPT. Software leaders launch natural-speak AI for clients. Rockwell Automation commercialized FactoryTalk Design Studio Copilot. This AI aids cloud-based system design software. PTC announced ServiceMax AI for field service. It uses asset history in the ServiceMax platform. Honeywell released Forge Production Intelligence in 2025. It integrates monitoring with a GenAI assistant. This helps operators troubleshoot and automate tasks.

Addressing the Aging Workforce

Joseph June at PTC highlights an aging workforce challenge. Experienced technicians are retiring. They take crucial knowledge with them. GenAI offers a potential solution. An AI agent can access all past work. It knows every customer interaction. The agent is familiar with all published manuals. This seemed like a distant dream five years ago. But GenAI technology made it a possibility.

Accelerating Design Processes

Olgu Can Yilmaz from Rockwell Automation discussed FactoryTalk Design Studio. It was a co-innovation with Microsoft. Copilot started with a simple ChatGPT prompt. They adapted it for industrial automation standards. This involved prompt engineering with available materials. It included project examples and Studio 5000 workings. The project began with generic user guidelines. It answered questions about their product portfolio. The next phase involved machine building. Users asked Copilot to help create code.

Unexpected User Feedback

Interestingly, users provided unexpected feedback. They input their own codes into Copilot. Then, they validated for errors. Operators also checked how to improve their creations. Engaging with the AI in natural language proved successful. Yilmaz believes AI language models are now common. This helps the younger generation. They find it an intuitive communication tool. It allows for efficient and creative work.

Reducing Engineering Time

Today, industry use cases show Copilot reduces design time. This is especially true at the beginning of machine building. This improvement will only grow over time. Enhancing Copilot's usage will improve error detection. It will also accelerate development time. Design Studio is cloud-based. Developers can use their laptops. They can create projects with Copilot's help. They can easily deploy projects remotely. This connects to controllers worldwide.

Faster Analysis of Production Data

Dr. Claudia Chandra from Honeywell explained Forge Production Intelligence's assistant. It allows users to access key insights easily. They use simple, natural language prompts. The tool visualizes and trends production issues. It identifies KPI deviation contributors and asset relationships. Without AI, users would do manual analysis. They would explore to understand issues. They would find root causes of KPI deviations. Now, users can ask direct questions. They can identify top deviating KPIs. They can find top contributors and recommended actions. This makes analysis much faster. It provides quick root cause analysis and corrections.

Significant Time Savings

Early adopters show impressive results. One client minimizes crude unit yield variations. They optimize their high-value product. The tool reduced identification time by 90%. This was less than one shift, compared to 120 hours. This improvement yields millions in annual benefits. This is for a complex food processing unit.

Continuous Learning and Automation

The tool aims to continuously learn from expert input. It also strives to improve accuracy. As confidence in answers grows, they want to automate recommendations. They aim for the tool to not only diagnose issues. It should also predict future events. It should provide prognostic recommendations over time.

Virtual Knowledge and Experience Sharing

PTC's ServiceMax AI Chat allows users to find answers about jobs or assets. It automates documentation and scheduling. It reviews proactive maintenance recommendations, according to Mr. June. ChatGPT's chat format led to quick adoption. GPT existed longer, but ChatGPT made it accessible. The natural interaction is a great opportunity. It solves the aging workforce issue in service. People can tap into vast knowledge and experience virtually.

Future Enhancements and Capabilities

PTC will monitor how quickly their assistant learns. It will become smarter over time. Users can ask more sophisticated questions. Currently, it finds data. Future capabilities include recommendations. It will suggest the best technician for a job. It will consider cost-effectiveness. It will not just answer questions. It will grab information and run calculations. Future interactions will involve speech and image uploads. This will aid in problem diagnosis while driving. Multiagent interaction will become more sophisticated. The assistant will determine which agents to consult for answers. This will help technicians and entire service organizations. They can ask complex questions about productivity and profitability. As the AI gets smarter and accesses more systems, it can tackle big organizational challenges.