As manufacturers and processors globally navigate through an era marked by rapid technological advancements, trade and geopolitical uncertainties, and evolving consumer demands, the need for flexible, interoperable, and software-centric automation systems has never been more critical. Open software-defined automation is not just an incremental improvement; it's a strategic imperative that enables industries to enhance their competitiveness, operational resilience, efficiency, and sustainability. In this podcast, Craig Resnick, Vice President, from the ARC Advisory Group. and Hany Fouda, Senior Vice President, Process Automation, Industrial Automation Business, at Schneider Electric, will provide their insights on the transformative impact of open software-defined systems, explore the challenges faced by industry leaders, the role of Schneider Electric in driving this transformation, the benefits of adopting open software-defined automation, and real-life applications and future directions that affect industrial automation users globally.

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In our first ARC Advisory Group SPARC podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Steve Blackwell, Head of the Manufacturing Center of Excellence at Amazon Web Services (AWS), about the transformative shift towards Software Defined Manufacturing (SDM) in the Era of Agentic AI.1 We explored how Agentic AI is becoming the "brain and central nervous system" of the future factory, orchestrating complex digital workflows across the enterprise.2

In this second episode, we bring that vision down to the factory floor. We're moving from the digital intent to the physical action—from the brain to the "muscles" of the operation. Steve and I discuss the physical embodiment of SDM through robotics, exploring AWS's evolving strategy and the rise of a new, more capable class of automation: Physical and Embodied AI.

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In the first three episodes of this series, we rediscovered our industry’s foundational challenges, tracked the rise of what ARC calls the Industrial Data Fabric, and highlighted the domain-specific innovators driving much of the momentum. This journey has established the critical need for clean, organized, and AI-ready data as the bedrock for future innovation.

Now, we take the next logical step. In this fourth episode, we explore how all that AI-ready data gets activated. How do we move from data foundations to the new wave of reliable, agentic AI solutions? As I teased in my recent blog, Industrial AI Needs Context Engineers, NOT Prompt Engineers, this transition requires a deliberate and structured approach.

I was thrilled to welcome Vatsal Shah, co-founder and CEO of Litmus Automation, to discuss this critical link. Vatsal's journey from a hands-on industrial automation engineer frustrated by integrating systems from Rockwell, Siemens, and Yokogawa to founding a company at the heart of Industrial DataOps provides a unique and pragmatic perspective on what it takes to succeed.

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Do you have an intriguing or thought provoking topic you'd like to discuss on our podcast? Please contact Our Producer Tom Cabot at: Tcabot@Arcweb.com

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Welcome to the third installment of our ongoing conversation on Industrial Systems Engineering in the Era of AI. In this series, I’m joined by my good friend and serial entrepreneur Rick Bullotta to unpack the profound shifts AI is driving in the industrial world.

Our journey began in Episode 1, where we explored the historical evolution and foundational data challenges that have long constrained industrial operations. In Episode 2, we moved from problems to potential solutions, diving deep into the concept of the Industrial Data Fabric as the critical enabler for this new era. We laid the groundwork, discussing the need for openness, the limitations of traditional data lakes, and the shift in focus from assets to processes.

Now, with that foundation in place, we pivot from the theoretical to the practical. This episode gets to the heart of where immediate, tangible value is being created. We move beyond the hype surrounding large-scale infrastructure and generic AI platforms to focus on the agile, domain-focused startups that are translating AI’s potential into real-world industrial outcomes. These are the companies on the front lines—the "guerrilla innovators," as I’ve called them—who are demonstrating not just what AI can do, but what it is doing today to solve specific, high-value problems on the factory floor and beyond.

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Do you have an intriguing or thought provoking topic you'd like to discuss on our podcast? Please contact Our Producer Tom Cabot at: Tcabot@Arcweb.com

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Craig Resnick and Mark Sen Gupta from the ARC Advisory Group host a discussion on the evolving landscape of functional safety in automation in the age of Digital Transformation. Joined by special guest Noah Greene, Product Marketing Specialist for Functional Safety from Phoenix Contact, the conversation delves into the critical role of safety devices, such as configured controllers, safety relays, and safety PLCs in enhancing operational resilience and productivity. The podcast explores how the convergence of smart technologies and digital transformation is driving the development of smart safety solutions, enabling better data collection and processing to improve safety and efficiency. Noah Greene shares insights on the implementation of safety systems in both machine and process industries, highlighting the importance of adhering to safety standards and leveraging advanced technologies, such as AI and machine learning to predict and mitigate risks.

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Do you have an intriguing or thought provoking topic you'd like to discuss on our podcast? Please contact Our Producer Tom Cabot at: Tcabot@Arcweb.com

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In this episode, we'll dive deeper into the changes and challenges brought about by AI, particularly since the November 22 moment with ChatGPT. We'll explore how AI has impacted industrial systems engineering, data quality, and the utilization of massive amounts of data in factories and supply chains.
Introduction Let's start with the big picture. AI has been around for a while, but the renewed focus on data quality and the challenges of handling vast amounts of data have become more prominent. The November 22 moment with ChatGPT triggered a significant shift in how we approach AI and data.

Importance of Discovery One of the key aspects of an industrial-grade data fabric is the importance of discovery. Access to data, metadata, and data models is crucial for understanding and comprehending the information. This enables tooling, whether AI-assisted or analytics environments, to work effectively.
Normalization is another critical factor. Ensuring common data formats at the consumption layer, such as everything in degrees Fahrenheit, is essential for consuming, discovering, and transforming data. Multistream contextualization also plays a significant role in this process.

Data Storage and Manipulation Where does the data live? This is a separate issue that needs to be addressed. Whether the data is dumped into a data lake or handled ad hoc, the ability to manipulate data at cloud scale has seen significant changes. The technical obstacles are dropping, making it easier to bridge into source systems using well-described interfaces.
Overall, the changes brought about by AI have had a tremendous impact on industrial systems engineering. The focus on interoperability, open systems, and solving large-scale problems has become more prominent. The technical obstacles are getting easier to overcome, and the opportunities for using AI and data fabrics are exciting.

Let's continue the conversation and explore more about industrial-grade data fabrics and their role in the era of AI.

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Do you have an intriguing or thought provoking topic you'd like to discuss on our podcast? Please contact Our Producer Tom Cabot at: Tcabot@Arcweb.com

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IEEE 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 and 6E represent major advancements in wireless technology, particularly for industrial environments, due to their incremental efficiency, scalability, and bandwidth. Key features like OFDMA allow multiple devices to communicate simultaneously on subdivided channels, reducing latency and improving spectrum use. Wi-Fi 6E introduces the 6 GHz band, significantly expanding available bandwidth and alleviating congestion. While private cellular network alternatives are increasingly popular, they are often more expensive and complex to implement. Wi-Fi 6E provides a cost-effective, reliable alternative that supports digital transformation initiatives like Phoenix Contact’s Digital Factory Now, enabling efficient data transport for AI, digital transformation, and automation.Learn more about the Innovative benefits of Wi-Fi 6 and 6E in Industry in this informative podcast.

Additional Resources are available at:

Industrial WLAN with Wi-Fi 6 | Phoenix Contact

Industrial and Outdoor Wireless LAN Market Size Forecast | ARC Advisory Group

Also feel free to reach out If you have any questions or would like further information about industrial Wi-Fi:

Danny Walters, Product Marketing Specialist for Wireless Products, Phoenix Contact USA

Danny Walters | LinkedIn

dwalters@phoenixcontact.com

Chantal Polsonetti, Vice President Industrial Network Infrastructure & Industrial Edge, ARC Advisory Group

Chantal Polsonetti | LinkedIn

cpolsonetti@arcweb.com

Industrial WLAN with Wi-Fi 6 | Phoenix Contact

Wireless LAN – the standard for wireless Ethernet. Benefit from the advantages of the new generation of Wi-Fi 6 in your applications.

Would you like to be a guest on our growing podcast?

Do you have an intriguing or thought provoking topic you'd like to discuss on our podcast? Please contact Our Producer Tom Cabot at: Tcabot@Arcweb.com

View all the episodes here: https://thedigitaltransformationpodcast.buzzsprout.com

In a recent ARC Advisory Group SPARC podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Steve Blackwell, Head of the Manufacturing Center of Excellence at Amazon Web Services (AWS). We dove deep into one of the most transformative shifts happening in the industrial sector today: Software Defined Manufacturing (SDM) in the Era of Agentic AI.

Would you like to be a guest on our growing podcast?

Do you have an intriguing or thought provoking topic you'd like to discuss on our podcast? Please contact Our Producer Tom Cabot at: Tcabot@Arcweb.com

View all the episodes here: https://thedigitaltransformationpodcast.buzzsprout.com