In a recent podcast episode, Bryan DeBois, Director of Industrial AI at RoviSys, unpacked the evolving role of AI in manufacturing and how companies can bridge the gap between AI's lofty promises and tangible ROI. Bryan highlighted the journey from traditional AI applications like anomaly detection and predictive maintenance—where AI predicts outcomes but relies on human interpretation—to the exciting frontier of autonomous AI, powered by deep reinforcement learning.
This next-generation AI doesn’t just predict—it prescribes actions, solving previously unsolvable problems and driving real, measurable impact on efficiency, costs, and sustainability goals.
Bryan emphasized that the key to AI success lies in a clear alignment between technology and business objectives. Companies must start by identifying their most pressing challenges—be it cost reduction, faster time-to-market, or sustainability targets—and then map AI solutions back to these goals. With onshoring trends and global competition intensifying, embracing smart AI technologies isn’t optional; it’s essential for staying competitive. The good news? Most manufacturers are still early in their AI adoption journey, meaning there’s ample opportunity to leapfrog competitors by strategically implementing these powerful tools.