It’s what everyone wants to know, but is not afraid to ask: what’s next for artificial intelligence and its impact on business?
William Smedberg, portfolio manager for AI and Automation at Sandvik, recently discussed how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the mining, rock processing and manufacturing industries. The world has shifted from merely wanting AI to expecting tangible results.
From AI hype to real business impact
Smedberg said he is focusing on enabling efficient AI usage, ensuring that AI projects deliver real business value.
“Last year, everyone just wanted some kind of AI; they got a sense of what it was and what it could mean for them,” Smedberg said. “This year, everyone wants to get a return on investment from the money they have put into AI.”
He shares some of the opportunities Sandvik sees for AI, spanning predictive maintenance for mining and rock processing equipment, improving manufacturing efficiency and onboarding, as well as optimizing logistics.
“In predictive maintenance, we can see from the data that something is about to happen with this machine. We don’t have to wait for a failure; we can proactively call the customer and suggest a fix before it happens.”
What’s next for AI in business?
Beyond operational efficiency, AI is reshaping customer interactions, Smedberg explained. How can AI help operators troubleshoot complex machinery without relying on manuals or support calls?
He envisions a future where AI continues to integrate into daily business processes and shares his views on AI development the coming year.
“I think people want to know what’s next on the technology radar. What if everything comes together in one beautiful symphony, completely replacing something that we thought was human.”
According to Sandvik statistics, over 20 new projects were launched by the company last year to develop AI in component manufacturing, mining and rock processing operations. They were divided between external customer-facing solutions and internal operations and involved Sandvik AI software engineers in the CFE working in collaboration with business units across the whole of Sandvik.
An accompanying video from Smedberg’s podcast interview is available at https://youtu.be/OvMrGQ3zgoI.
Editor’s note: The above is an excerpt from the Meet Sandvik podcast.