Why this matters now

One of the consequences of a vast improvement in the capability and affordability of sensing devices over the last few years has been a significantly increased risk of overwhelming operational technology (OT) teams with too much data. Data is incredibly powerful, but the more that comes in, the more effort it takes to turn it into actionable information. Moreover, if the data isn’t collected thoughtfully, it loses the valuable context that makes it as effective as possible.

In his recent article in Smart Industry, Emerson’s Brian LaMothe, an expert in emerging technologies, explores how the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) raises the stakes on this data challenge.

“For years, plant personnel wondered if they were collecting too much data and how they could manage it, then along came the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, demonstrating new ways to harness copious amounts of data and turn it into actionable information. Today, a wide variety of AI software applications thrive on large volumes of data.”

Because it can make use of all the data that they collect, AI is emerging as a critical tool for OT teams; it simply cannot be ignored. However, those teams need a way to ensure AI “combines computational fact with computational intelligence” so they receive reliable feedback usable in a high-stakes production environment. This is where fit-for-purpose industrial AI, seamlessly integrated into an enterprise operations platform (EOP) provides a key differentiator.

Takeaway: Sensing growth creates data overload; AI raises the stakes, and fit-for-purpose Industrial AI with EOP keeps insights reliable.

TL;DR

• Plants are generating unprecedented volumes of operational data.
• AI thrives on big data but needs guardrails to avoid hallucination and misinterpretation.
• Industrial AI is grounded in first principles for safe, deterministic outcomes.
• Persona-driven design ensures each role gets timely, relevant insights.
• Emerson’s Enterprise Operations Platform (EOP) unifies data mobility and industrial AI.

Why data overload is accelerating

OT teams face rising complexity as sensing technologies proliferate. As more data streams in, the effort required to transform it into usable information increases—and without thoughtful strategies, valuable context can be lost, reducing effectiveness.

Takeaway: More data does not automatically yield more insight—context and structure determine usefulness.

Why guardrails matter for industrial AI

AI’s capacity to process massive datasets is powerful, yet unmanaged access to enterprise-wide data can lead to hallucinations, misinterpretations, and unsafe recommendations. Excessive time spent filtering and training generic tools erodes productivity gains.

Industrial AI helps teams navigate this challenge. LaMothe explains,

“The solution is industrial AI—persona-based, first principles-driven AI software, built and supported by decades of OT and industry-specific expertise and delivered via an enterprise operations platform built on seamless data mobility.”

Takeaway: First-principles guardrails keep AI outputs safe, reliable, and deterministic for high-stakes operations.

How industrial AI ensures the right people get the right data

Optimal operations take many people, at many levels. Each role requires specific, timely information. That’s why Emerson’s AI tools are persona driven.

“The software needs to understand individual users’ unique responsibilities. An operator, a reliability engineer, and a process engineer benefit from different recommendations and information. The operator may care about recovery at a safe rate, the reliability engineer about bearing vibration patterns, and the process engineer about yield versus energy curves. Industrial AI understands each role’s objectives within the process hierarchy—from plant to unit to equipment to loop—and adapts language and thresholds to recommend actionable insights accordingly.”

Takeaway: Persona-driven Industrial AI tailors insights so each role receives focused, actionable information.

Implementing the vision: The Enterprise Operations Platform (EOP)

Bringing all the right data together, processing it in AI tools, and presenting it intuitively requires fit-for-purpose tools. Emerson is developing a flexible, software defined OT ready digital platform built on scalable software-defined control and industrial AI: the EOP. This next-generation architecture bridges existing automation with modern technologies, enabling unified data intelligence, advanced optimization, and autonomous operations, while empowering every operator in the plant to be the organization’s best operator.

For more on empowering every operator to become the organization’s best operator, see how next-gen maintenance technology supports skills acceleration.

Takeaway: EOP is the scalable backbone that unifies data, Industrial AI, and modern control across the enterprise.

Why now is the time to prepare

It is not too early to begin implementing an AI roadmap for OT. As the AI paradigm shift upends the way organizations around the globe do business, an incredible opportunity is emerging—for those ready to capture it.