ABB & Microsoft Launch Generative AI Copilot for Industry

A shining example of the importance of manufacturing partnerships, ABB and Microsoft have been collaborating for some time to bring generative AI to the factory floor.

Leading us to today's announcement: ABB is launching its own generative AI copilot for industrial and manufacturing environments. 

Leveraging the power of Microsoft's Azure OpenAI Service, ABB's Ability Genix Copilot contextualises vast amounts of data and provides intuitive, actionable insights, giving manufacturers insights to unlock greater efficiency, productivity and sustainability.

Going beyond natural language

When it comes to generative AI's adoption in manufacturing environments, we've seen a real focus on traditional natural language processing. 

This is understandable as the processing method- which works primarily with text- is a highly accessible, interactive and efficient way of utilising generative AI. 

Workers simply input their query in 'natural' terms, for example as a question or a request and the AI responds by searching and consolidating data to provide the answer needed.

ABB's Genix Copilot maintains key elements of this. It has critical natural language support like an intuitive conversational interface, where users can ask questions and receive responses about various operational parameters including asset health, performance, fault analysis and more.

But the AI also goes beyond this natural language processing to enable manufacturers to more rapidly harness large amounts of data and implement meaningful changes.

ABB's Genix Copilot is pushing boundaries in this area, utilising real-world data from the production environment, meaning insights can be immediately implemented to improve industrial operations.

The AI does this through its large language models such as GPT -4, which are customised specifically for industrial use cases. 

ABB estimates that through embedding Genix Copilot capabilities into its industrial digital solutions, customers like manufacturers can drive significant cost savings in operations and maintenance, boost production efficiency, improve sustainability metrics such as optimised energy use and reduced emissions.

ABB's Genix Copilot is pushing boundaries in this area, utilising real-world data from the production environment, meaning insights can be immediately implemented to improve industrial operations.

The AI does this through its large language models such as GPT -4, which are customised specifically for industrial use cases. 

ABB estimates that through embedding Genix Copilot capabilities into its industrial digital solutions, customers like manufacturers can drive significant cost savings in operations and maintenance, boost production efficiency, improve sustainability metrics such as optimised energy use and reduced emissions.

“At ABB, digitalisation and AI are at the core of delivering more value to our customers, with a substantial part of our R&D workforce dedicated to digital, AI and software," says Peter Terwiesch, President, ABB Process Automation.

"Collaboration of ABB and Microsoft on generative AI is an important step in driving innovation and shaping the future of industry, helping our customers outrun – leaner and cleaner.

“With Genix Copilot, we can bring a new era of user experience, collaboration and consumerisation of real-time actionable insights across roles."

Harnessing data across operations

Catering to the complexity of industrial environments, ABB's Genix Copilot architecture is designed to handle and process a large amount of data from a myriad of sources.

This includes across shop floor operations, operator conversations, enterprise systems, unstructured data and metadata, delivering comprehensive insights with the support of natural language.

Genix Copilot provides a role-based user experience, offering real-time actionable insights to various functions across manufacturing. 

These roles span engineers troubleshooting equipment to boardroom executives to specialists analysing performance metrics. 

With a strong emphasis on safeguarding data, the solution works to capture operator's knowledge and facilitates collaborative decision-making across roles. 

ABB's Ability™ Genix Copilot has been refined and enhanced through its collaboration with Microsoft, one of the biggest leaders in the sphere of industrial AI. 

The company recently released a suite of industrial AI solutions itself, and just earlier this week announced its collaboration with Volkswagen Group and PTC on a product-focused AI for the manufacturing industry.

In all these cases including its work with ABB, Microsoft's Azure OpenAI Service has been a vital asset, providing the computing power and scalable architecture necessary to facilitate full AI integration.

“Working with ABB, we’re truly pushing the boundaries of what generative AI can do for industry," says Sonja Meindl, Enterprise Commercial Director, Microsoft Switzerland.

"Genix Copilot has the potential to transform industrial operations, offering customers a practical, easy-to-use tool that enhances efficiency, productivity and sustainability." 

ABB and Microsoft's innovation here pushes the boundaries of generative AI innovation, giving manufacturers the power to make more holistic and impactful operational decisions.

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