How artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the world of industry

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way we approach activities in all areas of business.

The topic has returned to the forefront following the launch of “generative” applications, in which algorithms are asked not only to work on numerical data, but also to produce output based on context. It is a completely revolutionary scenario, never explored before, which will pave the way for a revolution in terms of automation and efficiency improvements in all areas of industry and work.

The application that has tuned the general public into the use of AI is ChatGPT: an extremely advanced model that works on language and is capable of handling millions of parameters in its text comprehension and generation activities. Clearly, language as an element of contact with human beings has made it easier for the two to interact, bringing machines closer to humans: on the other hand, language is one of the most ancestral aspects of human beings, and seeing a machine capable of understanding and responding to questions in a natural way is quite surprising.

But there are also applications closer to industry that are rapidly gaining ground.

For example, automatic pattern recognition allows us to determine whether, in a handling line, we are transferring products in boxes—and of what size—or hanging products and of what type, whether they are coats or shirts, based on the depth of the hanger used.

By appropriately training AI models to evaluate the movement of goods in the fashion/luxury sector and providing the results of the calculations in real time, we can expect to see an acceleration in the execution of work that is usually manual:

• counting processes
• identification of anomalies in transport or goods sorting lines
• optimization of packaging containment
• optimized picking

A less exploited area at the moment is forecasting, which is less affected by the current focus on generative AI. However, there are excellent opportunities to achieve equally impressive results by applying algorithms capable of working on reliable forecasts in the logistics area:

• waiting for periods of incoming/outgoing volumes
• forecasting picking activities and consequent optimized preparation of picking missions
• advance assessment of requirements for couriers and advance notification of the same

A warehouse that uses AI equipped, for example, with Autostore can also operate at night without staff, ensuring that picking orders for the first shipments are ready in the morning when the work shifts start.

Alternatively, an automated warehouse with overhead handling systems can move products without personnel and, working in combination with IoT technologies such as RFID tags, perform continuous and cyclical inventories.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly gaining ground in the industrial sector, bringing with it a wave of change and innovation. Thanks to AI, companies can tackle major challenges, and knowing how to seize opportunities is crucial to ensuring competitiveness and success in an increasingly interconnected and rapidly evolving world.