The lab that can mean a fresh start for local manufacturers
Something highly exciting has just happened in the city of Milwaukee which has the potential to change the future of manufacturing not just across Wisconsin but throughout the nation. A new artificial intelligence co-innovation lab has just been opened at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. This lab is supported by Microsoft. It may sound like something that generally gets established in Silicon Valley, but it is right here in Milwaukee.
This AI lab is built for the people who have kept the state running for generations. This lab is for the manufacturers.
This initiative step is not only about shiny technology or fancy equipment, but it’s about giving business owners the real tools that will help them to compete, grow, and survive in the changing world.
And the best part is, it is designed for small and medium-sized businesses. Such businesses generally don’t have massive IT teams or millions to spend on technology, but they definitely want to stay ahead.
For years, many local factories have struggled to keep up with new technologies. Artificial intelligence has always felt too far out of reach, too expensive, too confusing, and sometimes simply not built for these small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises.
This is changing now. With this AI lab in town, businesses don’t have to go far, and they don’t even need a technology degree or big budget. All they need is curiosity and willingness to explore what is possible.
You can imagine a small shop floor in West Allis or a parts manufacturer in Sheboygan being able to predict accurately when a machine might fail before it actually happens.
The combination of AI prediction with factory production can be phenomenal for manufacturers in Milwaukee.
Let’s take an example of a food processor in Kenosha checking product quality in real-time without even stopping the entire line, or a team leader in Milwaukee using artificial intelligence to understand how to get orders out faster without burning out the crew.
It looks like that manufacturers in Milwaukee, when they start learning through this artificial intelligence laboratory and implementing AI innovations, then they will improve their efficiency, experience fewer errors in manufacturing, and definitely deliver better products. These are the things which almost every business owner cares about as it helps in lowering the cost, making the customer happy, and generating better profit.
But what is more exciting is what it means for the long term. If enough manufacturers from Wisconsin get on board, then Milwaukee will not just keep up but can potentially start leading.
Manufacturers in Milwaukee will not only be known for just making things, but they will also be known for making smart things, and this can attract more investment, attract talent, and put us on the map in ways we haven’t seen in the past many decades.
And the good thing is that this is the best time for such an innovation because manufacturers across the world are feeling the pressure of business from worker shortages to supply chain headaches and rising costs of running business.
Artificial intelligence is definitely not a magic fix, but it has got the capabilities which can actually take the guesswork out of planning and translate it into solid automation. This can help boost various manufacturing activities. This can actually help people perform various manufacturing activities quickly. It can also help reduce factory wastage by properly calculating and forecasting.
But remember, the lab is there to help people do their job better and not to replace them. Because let us be honest people are at the heart of Wisconsin manufacturing. They have always been there. This lab is basically about supporting people. This lab is not about taking people out of the picture. It is actually about giving them a stronger hand to play.
If you have a factory in Wisconsin, then you may probably be wondering where do I even begin? So the answer is: start small.
You don’t have to solve everything overnight. All you have to do is ask yourself
What’s one thing that is slowing us down?
What is that one area where we lose money or waste time?
The lab is here to help you find a smart and absolutely practical solution.
This is more than a building on a college campus. It’s a message. A message that says you don’t have to be in Silicon Valley to innovate. You can do innovation in Wisconsin as well. You don’t have to be a technology giant to move forward. You can move ahead even if you have a small factory. All you have to do is be open to change and willing to adopt new technology and take the first step.
Milwaukee has always been a city of builders, makers, and doers. With this new artificial intelligence lab, we are going to prove that we are also the city of critical thinkers and extremely advanced innovators. And this all will be done in the Wisconsin way, with grit, with heart, and with deep respect for the people who show up every day to get the job done.
This is our chance to take the best of what we’ve built and make it even better.
Source https://www.wpr.org/news/microsoft-opens-ai-co-innovation-lab-at-uw-milwaukee