103: Using AI in Manufacturing: Generative vs. Predictive and Autonomous AI with Bryan DeBois

**Chris Daigle** (0:00)
Most manufacturers are chasing the wrong kind of AI. For knowledge work is not the same thing as AI for operational work. So the listeners, what do they need to understand about these kind of two paths of AI?

**Bryan DeBois** (0:12)
The client says we've got this mandate around AI. And what they're thinking is they're thinking about the generative AI. And that's what my clients are typically thinking that we're going to be talking about. And I immediately pivot and I pivot to analytical AI, predictive AI, computer vision, and of course autonomous AI.

**Chris Daigle** (0:30)
So what would be kind of like the clearest distinction between what's possible with a GPT Pro account or a Claude Pro account versus what you guys are doing at RoviSys?

**Bryan DeBois** (0:39)
Unless you're comfortable with your surgeon stopping mid-surgery and going and checking ChatGPT for what the next step in the surgery is, if you're not comfortable with that, then you shouldn't be comfortable running it on the plant floor. This is still considered a high-risk environment.

**Chris Daigle** (0:51)
Brian Du Bois is a leading voice in industrial AI and manufacturing automation, helping companies understand why factory floor AI is not the same as ChatGPT. With decades of experience in industrial systems, he educates manufacturers on using predictive analytical computer vision and autonomous AI to improve safety, quality and operations.
Welcome to Using AI at Work. I'm your host, Chris Daigle. Each week, we'll be learning how today's business owners, entrepreneurs and ambitious professionals are getting more done with smart use of tomorrow's tech.
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We'll also guide company-wide transformation so AI becomes part of your operating system, not just another shiny object. The companies that act now will increase productivity, cut costs, and grow faster than their competitors. Those that wait will get left behind. If you want to make AI work in your business, visit chiefaiofficer.com and see how we're helping companies of all sizes finally get results from AI. Hey everybody, and welcome back to another episode of Using AI at Work. At this point, we're well into the hundreds of episodes that we've done, which is pretty fantastic. And thank you all for the support that you've given us throughout all of this. Today, it's going to be a little different spin on AI. Normally when we do this podcast, we're talking about AI's application to knowledge work. You know, a lot of times, well, what about the field? What about the factory floor and those sorts of things? And that's not really an angle that we cover a lot on the podcast, so today, let's fix that. So our guest today is Bryan DeBois. He's a leader in industrial AI at the company RoviSys. Now this is a company that's got 2,000 engineers across 22 locations working on something that is not your ChatGPT query and response. Their core lane is AI for manufacturing operations. Analytical AI, Predictive AI, Computer Vision, Autonomous AI, and even maybe not Optimus robots, but Cobots. I mean, he's literally surrounded by AI-enabled robots right now as we're doing this thing. The main, I guess, the gist of this conversation today is that most manufacturers are chasing the wrong kind of AI. They have been to the industry conference, they've listened to a podcast, and a lot of them are thinking that AI for knowledge work is what they need. And AI for knowledge work is not the same thing as AI for operational work. So, Bryan, before we dig into it, what do you think that the listeners today, considering that we've got a broad spectrum of folks listening, what do they need to understand about these kind of two paths of AI?

**Bryan DeBois** (3:58)
Yeah, and thanks for having me, Chris. I think that the way you framed it is exactly right. It's when I sit down with clients and, you know, we initially start this conversation around, and the client typically says, look, I want AI, you know, we've got this corporate mandate. And of course, all my clients are manufacturing and industrial customers. So, you know, the client says, we've got this mandate around AI. Now, I don't even know, you know, they'll say I know how to spell AI and that's about it.