Tech Explained: Here’s a simplified explanation of the latest technology update around Tech Explained: Physical AI gaining traction in operations technology: Honeywell’s Anant Maheshwari in Simple Termsand what it means for users..
While factory floors often have systems to ‘see’, ‘think’ and ‘act’, the advent of AI has added the element of ‘learn’ into the loop, Maheshwari said at the 10th edition of the ET NOW Global Business Summit.
“In the past, these systems were operating with rules set by engineers. And those rules operated control systems. Going forward, I think the systems will learn and create new rules as we work,” he said. This is now being brought not just to the factory floors but also to buildings of all kinds and complex infrastructure across the globe.
However, while highlighting the vast opportunity, Maheswari made it a point to allay fears of job losses due to AI by speaking of how it will enable industries to hasten talent maturity.
“There is a talent shortage in most parts of the world. In industries (like semiconductor or aerospace), you don’t put somebody who’s just one or two years of experience straight onto some of the most critical assets,” he said. “Today, AI can help very quickly hasten the talent to start operating assets,” Maheswari said, highlighting that enablement is the “name of the game.”
He called the Indian economy a benchmark for the planet and emphasised that Honeywell, a global industrial automation and aerospace technologies major, is well-positioned to continue to innovate and manufacture in the country, building on its existing capabilities.
“Manufacturing has been a big base,” Maheswari said. “We are continuing to serve a lot of innovation from India for the world, and I think that is where India is transitioning to – not just as a market, but becoming a source of innovation for around the world.”
He stressed the need for more countries to adopt the model of local innovation that China and India have effected, especially in the wake of supply chains getting constrained.
“The world is changing,” Maheswari said. “It’s no longer an interconnected global world the way it was, especially on supply chains and trade, and it’s moving towards a lot more of individual country-specific strategies. In that world, there were two countries where there was still a very big focus on individual countries’ strategies from the eyes of the multinational companies — China and India.”
He said that if one went back about 20 years, these were the two countries that almost every multinational had a very specific strategy on. Other than that, it was around large regions like Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and West Asia.
The ‘India model’ is very relevant to operate in other geographies today, he said. “And, therefore, how we can learn from the model that has been operating in India for the multinational companies, is a playbook that a lot of MNCs are using globally.”
Maheshwari stressed on the need for local innovation and leadership for companies to balance global growth strategy and domestic inclusion.
“Strong focus on local leadership with the right empathy and cultural nuance is required in every country. Also, in the pandemic, the global supply chains changed, and a lot more local supply chains were created. So those two are critical,” he said.