AI integration modernizes factory operations and enables manufacturers to achieve greater business results. Manufacturing is getting a major system upgrade. As AI amplifies existing technologies--like digital twins, the cloud, edge computing, and the industrial internet of things (IIoT)--it is enabling factory operations teams to shift from reactive, isolated problem-solving to proactive, systemwide optimization. Digital twins--physically accurate virtual representations of a piece of equipment, a production line, a process, or even an entire factory--allow workers to test, optimize, and contextualize complex, real-world environments. Manufacturers are using digital twins to simulate factory environments with pinpoint detail. "AI-powered digital twins mark a major evolution in the future of manufacturing, enabling real-time visualization of the entire production line, not just individual machines," says Indranil Sircar, global chief technology officer for the manufacturing and mobility industry at Microsoft.

I love watching the NBA's Golden State Warriors play basketball. Their offensive "improvisation" is a thing of beauty in their constant ball movement in order to find the "best" shot. The coordinated decision-making is truly a thing of beauty, but here's the challenge: how would you "scale" the Warriors? You can't just add another player to the mix – even a perennial all-star like Boogie Cousins – and have the same level of success. One of the biggest challenges in this age of Digital Transformation is how are organizations going to exploit new technologies such as IoT and AI to "scale innovation?"