As AI becomes essential to business, a new infrastructure for AI computing is critical.
The “AI factories” built in the UK and abroad are data centres whose sole purpose is to handle large-scale AI workloads rather than just storing data like a typical data centre. At the same time, traditional factories leverage advanced AI models to enhance and streamline manufacturing processes.
With all this automation and AI-powered processes, what will the role of humans, especially frontline workers, become?
The UK is making significant investments in AI
The UK is rapidly growing its AI technology and investment in AI activities at home and globally. The country is ranked third in the world for private venture capital investment into AI companies and is home to a third of Europe’s total AI companies.
According to a 2023 study by the UK Office of Artificial Intelligence, the UK AI sector includes over 3,000 AI companies generating more than £10 billion in revenue and employing over 50,000 people. This sector contributes approximately £3.7 billion to the UK’s Gross Value Added (GVA), including purpose-built AI companies and those applying AI to their existing business. AI companies in the UK are growing at an estimated +8.8 per cent per year, contributing over £42 billion to the UK economy.
Even small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) plan to use AI in 2024, with over half (58 per cent) reporting their intention to increase use, up from 40 per cent in 2023, according to Beaming.
Another growing trend is the use of AI in manufacturing. AI is used for predictive maintenance, quality control and supply chain optimisation. For example, PepsiCo’s factory in Coventry uses AI-powered sensors to detect machine faults and optimise production lines. The goal is to enhance efficiency, reduce waste and improve product quality.
How AI and the frontline manufacturing worker collaborate
Even with this increase in AI use, frontline workers will continue to be integral to the manufacturing business. Routine, mundane tasks can be intelligently automated with AI, improving accuracy and efficiency and enabling frontline workers to do more. So, what we’re seeing in manufacturing is not a replacement for humans but rather a new collaboration between machines and humans.
The applications vary, from improved maintenance and faster customer service to reduced product defects and increased worker safety. One thing is certain about these real-life uses – they have great potential to improve the frontline worker’s experience.
Faster and smarter field service
Service managers can leverage generative AI to streamline work order creation by automatically pre-populating relevant details from emails or chats. AI can also draft responses to customer messages.
Scheduling of technicians becomes more efficient with data-driven recommendations that consider factors like travel time, availability and skillset. Once a technician is on-site, AI-powered tools such as augmented reality (AR) can offer real-time, step-by-step guidance for troubleshooting equipment or onboarding processes. Virtual reality (VR) allows off-site experts to provide live coaching for faster problem resolution.
Proactive maintenance
Whether it’s a data centre powering AI usage or a factory turning out bags of crisps, AI can help frontline workers monitor equipment before a problem erupts. Downtime is expensive. Using the analytical power of AI, “smart” factories use sensors to collect vast amounts of data and to predict issues that can stymie production. Real-time data like vibration, temperature and pressure can provide insights into the equipment’s health and trigger proactive maintenance. In environments where temperature control is vital – like data centres – frontline workers can use AI tools to monitor and support cooling systems.
Defect-free production
Another application of AI in factories can detect product defects. Computer vision, which trains machines to recognise objects in images and video, can identify minuscule flaws in items moving along conveyor belts and through sorting machines.
While human inspectors may miss these tiny defects, machine cameras, combined with algorithms trained to spot surface-level anomalies, catch them with precision. This technology benefits products like computer chip wafers and circuit boards, where intricate designs and components make defects harder to detect manually. With this data, human workers can redesign machines and production lines and reduce waste and inefficiencies.
Safe working conditions
AI and humans can collaborate to enhance worker safety. AI systems can predict potential hazards through data analysis, identifying patterns in equipment failures or accident-prone areas, enabling safety managers to take preventive measures. For example, computer vision combined with machine learning monitors factory camera feeds to identify possible worker threats or accidents. UK warehouses use AI-powered wearables like exoskeletons to ensure people carrying heavy loads aren’t getting strained or injured.
The future of AI and frontline workers in the UK
With AI technology advancing rapidly, training workers to work effectively with these new tools is critical. Fortunately, significant investments are being made to train and educate UK workers. The UK government launched a ten-year comprehensive AI strategy in 2021 to position the country as a global leader in AI. In March 2024, the government announced a £1.1 billion package to train individuals in future technologies, including AI. In addition, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is investing £117 million in Centres for Doctoral Training to develop the next generation of AI researchers and innovators, ensuring a steady pipeline of skilled professionals. Major industry players are getting involved as well. Microsoft has committed to a multi-billion-pound investment in the UK’s AI infrastructure and talent development. This includes training over one million people in AI skills, focusing on building AI fluency, developing technical skills and promoting safe and responsible AI use.
AI’s rise in factories and data centres marks a significant shift in how businesses operate, blending human expertise with cutting-edge technology. The UK’s investment in AI infrastructure and workforce training reflects a broader recognition of AI’s transformative potential across industries.
While AI will automate many routine tasks, it will not replace frontline workers but empower them, enabling more efficient, safer and innovative work environments. As AI evolves, human workers will be crucial in overseeing, optimising and collaborating with these systems.
Patrycja Sobera is Unisys senior vice president and general manager of digital workplace solutions business unit.
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