First, I want to thank the Binnenwerk team for this opportunity to take up The Pen. I am certainly seizing this chance to offer some hope for our manufacturing industry, in both Belgium and the Netherlands. The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is often feared. However, I see it as a huge opportunity. But… you mustn’t ignore AI!
I currently see a significant shift in the market. The successful companies in our manufacturing industry are those that have given high priority to embedding technological developments. Think of smart configurators that allow end-users to generate and, therefore, order a custom-made product. And that’s not a luxury, because end-users—yes, the consumers—are quite impatient. They don’t want to wait too long for it. Companies that have technically organized this well are growing. They are creating a competitive advantage. Working fast and efficiently simply means selling quickly. On Demand is becoming the mantra.
Now, we also see the rise of AI. Of course, consumers still look at Pinterest, Instagram, and Google for what’s possible. But relatively simple AI programs like ChatGPT are also being used to generate their own ideas and then approach an interior designer with the simple request: “Just make this for me.”
I consider that a good development as well. We don’t need to fear that this will cause the manufacturing industry to disappear. It will just be organized differently (read: more efficiently!). For example, technical drafters and developers will be able to innovate faster. But it will also make you more competitive. Because if you let all those generated AI ideas be drawn up via a configurator, allowing the end-customer to order immediately, well-linked automation can immediately drive production. The entire process will be integrated into one cohesive whole, resulting in much shorter delivery times. The administrative-manual work is eliminated.
That is why the challenge for all of us is to manage the vertical chain. I see companies that are still underestimating this. I fear for their future. But I also see companies that have already embraced it. Pay attention: those are the ones that will grow. They know they will make the difference. They form the manufacturing industry of the future!
So, is AI perfect yet? No, of course not. The reliability of the output after your prompts still needs to increase, but that’s a matter of time. So, there is no point in burying your head in the sand and remaining critical of AI—or even disbelieving it. In fact, if you don’t embrace AI, you might find things very difficult in the coming years. In short, use this technological advance to safeguard your continuity. That, in essence, is my urgent message.
This article was published in Binnenwerk
