The advent of AI is a logical continuation of other breakthroughs that have profoundly changed the industry and B2B relationships.
The digital revolution had already transformed the customer journey and business relationships into B2B in the industry. What do the latest advances in AI and ChatGPT’s recent breakthrough have in store for us? What are the opportunities and dangers to avoid for Industry 4.0?
The plenary of the members held on Tuesday 5 December was an opportunity to address several issues related to the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI). To present these topics and understand the issues for the industry, GIFEC received Stéphane Amarsy for a conference entitled «The future is already here».
Without pretending to be able to predict the future, the entrepreneur invites us to become aware of the major changes that are at work and the upheaval that awaits us with the interconnection of AI and other technological breakthroughs. For the speaker, the rapid accumulation of these ruptures plunges us into a state of perpetual metamorphosis.
More than ever, companies in the industry sector need to become more flexible to keep up. GIFEC meetings and conferences help you anticipate these issues to better address change management. To quote Stéphane Amarsy in his newsletter «Métamorphoses»: «It is better to take care of the change before he takes care of you».
The pace is accelerating in the industrial sector. The digital revolution has already disrupted the traditional B2B business approach in favor of online channels.
The strength of AI in a climate of uncertainty
In times of economic uncertainty, B2B sales and marketing teams can use AI to keep pace at a lower cost. When times are tough, buyers' positions are frozen. No decision will be made immediately, and yet, we must remain present in the minds of prospects.
These behaviors are valid in B2C, but they are particularly impactful in B2B where sales cycles are generally longer. As soon as the slowdown has passed, it will be time to return to the charge and pull the strings previously put in place. To make an impression, you have to be creative. The role of management is to give employees the time and the means to develop innovative actions.
AI and automation are becoming more efficient year after year. They replace the individual on the most standardized missions, and also assist him in the creation processes. AI can suggest striking hooks and designs, to adapt according to the sectors of activity. It is enough to feed it with the right information and to know how to reorient it according to its needs.
The risk with generative AI lies in perpetuating a cycle of “feeding – learning – creating” from potentially erroneous data. Malnourished and poorly calibrated AI generates inaccurate or approximate data that will serve as the basis for future developments. In the immediate term, what should alert us is the temptation to let the AI work without supervision at the risk of poor results.
Recall that the strength of conversational agents like ChatGPT lies in the application of patterns found in the data or crossed by learning. The quality of the result rests with the company that uses the AI. It is up to them to validate the draft (text, graphics, software, etc.), or to push the machine to propose a new version until they are satisfied. Regarding predictive AI, we must see these solutions as whistleblowers. For example, the company can adjust its maintenance schedule to respond to a high probability of failure on this or that industrial equipment. AI can also help companies predict demand and better manage their inventory. These hot topics around AI in Industry 4.0 The 2020 decade promises to be rich in questions, reflection and solutions for Industry 4.0. We talked about the rapid technological breakthroughs and the meeting between AI and other advances in the industry sector. Inventory optimization can therefore rely on AI to better reflect forecasts from data analysis and on the IoT (Internet of Things) to act on the supply chain. Connected sensors are used to collect data transmitted in real time to stock managers, or to provide information on the status of goods transport vehicles. Remote monitoring is one of these hot topics in Industry 4.0, alongside automation, virtual reality VR for industrial maintenance, or 3D printing.
