EDITOR’S CHOICE
SURVEY REVEALS MANUFACTURERS WILL LEVERAGE AI TO TACKLE HIGH-SKILLED LABOUR SHORTAGE
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luke Reliability has announced the results of a recent survey which shows that 79 per cent of respondents emphasised high-skill labour shortages as a primary focus for AI investment, in contrast to just 37 per cent who view AI as a means to address gaps in low-skill roles. Manufacturers are seeking to move beyond automating low-skill routine tasks and are now applying AI and automation to high-skill roles in response to the ongoing skills shortage. The latest survey results reveal a strategic shift: instead of re- placing humans with robots; industrial organisations are leveraging AI-driven technology to augment high-skill work, democratising intelligence across the workforce and addressing critical talent gaps. The research, conducted by Censuswide, sur- veyed over 600 senior decision-makers and maintenance professionals in the U.S., the UK, and Germany. The findings reveal that 90 per cent of respondents report that the skills shortage has impacted their organisation - almost one- third citing a significant effect - and manufac- turers are turning to AI as a critical enabler of efficiency and productivity.
An overwhelming 98 per cent of respondents consider AI a viable solution to the skills shortage, with 36 per cent stating their primary motivation for implementing AI is to compensate for the skilled labour shortage.
AI is anticipated to play a crucial role in trans- forming manufacturers from a state of workforce deficiency to enhanced efficiency. Nearly one
in four of respondents believe AI and real-time data analytics will enable them to bridge the skills gap and reduce workloads – freeing workers to be more productive and tackle more complex value-added tasks.
Uniquely, this agreement translates to the plant floor, where 40 per cent of maintenance managers believe AI will drive a positive transformation in terms of efficiency. This includes increasing invest- ment in innovative technologies to address produc- tivity gaps, complement worker capabilities, and enhance overall efficiency.
Aaron Merkin, chief technology officer, Fluke Re- liability, says: “The shift our research shows is not so surprising. While moving beyond routine and low- skill automation has been on the cards for some time, only now has technology reached a level that allows broader adoption within industrial organisations. The evolution we are now observing, sees AI going be- yond basic automation, elevating the worker experi- ence and transforming operations for our customers.” He continued, “For example, in vibration analysis, we’ve witnessed how an AI diagnostic engine like Azima DLI can make prescriptive fault predictions available to a machine operate, where previously an individual trained as a CAT 3 or 4 vibration analyst would have been required. By accelerating the decision-making process and amplifying human expertise AI enables fast, actionable interventions that redefine operational efficiency.” Beyond alleviating pressure on high-skilled labor, 37 per cent of manufacturers also acknow-
6 WINTER 2024 | INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE
ledge that talent shortages within their organi- sations are down to a lack of diversity. In order to meet the needs of the modern landscape and combat this, industrial organisations are prioritis- ing strategies that will enable them to address this diversity and applicant gap.
Top initiatives outlined to drive this change include improving their employer brand to attract new and diverse talent and implementing comprehensive training and workforce development plans to upskill existing workers, perhaps to be able to work with AI technology and insights.
Jason Waxman, president of Fluke Corporation, says: “Our research has found widespread consen- sus that, with the right data foundation, AI tools will enable businesses to overcome their current skills shortage. Yet, the broader implications are even more profound. Integrating AI in manufacturing is not just about replacing low-skill labor with ma- chines; it’s also about strategically automating high- skill tasks while empowering the workforce to work more effectively with AI.”
“The industrial sector is undergoing a paradigm shift, in which AI is not merely a tool but a catalyst for advancing the quality and sophistication of human work. By augmenting human expertise, AI fosters more resilient, adaptable, and analytically driven operations. This alignment between human and machine intelligence will have long-lasting ef- fects on creating a future-ready workforce.”
Fluke Reliability
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