Rockwell Automation and Microsoft will continue to work together to accelerate industrial automation through generative artificial intelligence. The companies are combining technologies to support employees and shorten time-to-market for automation system developers. The first result of this collaboration is the integration of Microsoft's Azure OpenAI service into Rockwell's Factory-Talk Design Studio cross-control development tool for industrial automation. This is expected to help companies shorten their time-to-market by developing industrial automation systems.
“The skilled labor shortage and ensuing lost productivity is the biggest challenge facing industrial organizations and their service providers today. These shortages are increasing the need, value, and complexity of automation projects when the ecosystem of service providers is less equipped to deliver on time, quality, and budget,” says Matthew Littlefield, President LNS Research. “Generative AI has already proven its ability to capture the imagination and enhance the productivity of workers in a range of IT and business scenarios. Rockwell Automation and Microsoft’s strategic partnership is an exciting and high-potential step forward in addressing these long-term structural challenges.” Rockwell and Microsoft recognize that using AI to increase automation in a variety of roles, from decision makers to controls engineers and operators, is a key area for collaboration with their customers to help them streamline their processes and increase employee productivity.
“Rockwell’s decade-long relationship with Microsoft illustrates our ongoing commitment to providing best-of-breed solutions that empower customers and support our shared vision of driving industries forward through innovation and collaboration,” emphazsizes Blake Moret, Chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation. “Together, we're not just addressing current market needs; we're shaping the future of technology in industrial automation.”
Integration of Azure OpenAI Service with Factory-Talk Design Studio helps engineers generate code using natural language prompts. This automates routine tasks and improves design efficiency. Experienced engineers will be able to accelerate development and newcomers will be able to learn more efficiently and effectively. In addition, this integration will make it possible to obtain relevant assistance for the further training of developers from extensive collections of information. Rockwell and Microsoft have high expectations for the expansion of this integrated technology to address additional challenges. These include quality management and improvement, failure mode analysis, and training frontline workers to execute manufacturing processes through chat-based collaboration with experienced human workers, as well as with chatbots based on Azure Open AI Service.
“The explosive growth and interest in artificial intelligence is driving organizations to partner with Microsoft as a trusted cloud and AI provider,” said Judson Althoff, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Microsoft. “I am pleased to further strengthen our longstanding relationship with Rockwell by combining its expertise in industrial automation with Microsoft’s generative AI technology to help industrial professionals expedite the creation of complex control systems, optimize the efficiency of their operations, and spur greater innovation across industrial organizations.”
