What can be the added value of AI for a factory? That's a legitimate question.

Staying informed on a daily basis is easy. But integrating it into an industrial process is another matter entirely. Business leaders dream of saving time, reducing production errors, improving quality, and increasing revenue. So it's perfectly legitimate for them to wonder how AI can support them, improve production reliability, and boost profitability.

What's unsettling about this technological revolution is the speed with which it has become indispensable. Computers, on the other hand, took decades to become established, as did business software like ERP/MRP/CRM. AI, however, has become a given in just 12 to 24 months, almost a necessity. As a result, a race has begun to develop the "best AI product," fueled by investments and valuations. And yet, one reality remains: the long-term viability of many AI offerings is far from guaranteed.

In this context, an industrial company cannot "play the dice" based on costly promises. The most rational approach is to move forward without breaking what works, with controlled risk and a measurable ROI.

This does not mean, however, remaining passive and waiting. The integration of AI into the industrial process must be carefully managed.

I propose a simple 3-step approach to integrate initial AI building blocks into your professional environment:
1. Targeted audit: identify 3 to 5 truly critical pain points in your business. (wasted time, non-compliance, delays, unpaid invoices, etc.).
2. Automation by an AI Agent of the most sensitive subject (where the ROI will be most visible).
3. Measurement: after a few weeks, objectively evaluate the performance of the AI Agent (time saved, error rate, operational impact).

With this approach, you control the risks and the impact on your business. Indeed, the key point will be the ability to revert to the previous version at any time. Furthermore, the “AI Agents” approach has a rare advantage: it helps the company develop its skills… without taking disproportionate risks.

In short: the AI that is emerging will create value for businesses. But as it is a rapidly evolving technology, it will also bring its share of failures, disappearances, and likely financial crises. Some software vendors and service providers will pay the price.

 So, my wise advice is to proceed with caution, test without rushing and measure the ROI.

👉 In a future post, I will share the concrete risks that this technological leap brings in its wake (sustainability of suppliers, costs, geopolitical risks, securing your data).

In your professional context, what is your most critical challenge for your company?