Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1518432
D uring a recent episode of The Future of Everything podcast hosted by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Revathi Advaithi, a member of the U.S. Government advisory committee on supply chain policies said, "It is shocking to me that in this day and age, we don't understand how much supply or demand is needed to run the world, with so much data and so much information out there." Advaithi, CEO of Flex, a global manufac- turer for everyday products, added, "AI can help improve utilization of equipment, help gain knowledge on how working capital is deployed, and help drive factory produc- tivity. I'm very excited because this gives small, medium manufacturing an edge." Advaithi is not alone in advocating the benefits of AI. A research article in the December issue of Textile Engineering and Fashion Technology, lists more than a dozen ways artificial intelligence can be utilized to enhance productivity and resilience in the textile industry, including technologies ranging from predictive maintenance to demand forecasting to enhanced quality control. Summarizing the role of AI, the report highlights its ability to "to extract information on all possible deviations that may be associated with negative implications." In real-time no less! "AI is a tidal wave that is coming and abso- lutely going to have a big impact," comments Sam Ward, who has a background in tech- nology and was recently awarded a new certification: Designing and Building AI Products and Services from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.). "AI isn't as visible in the textile industry yet. But across the board in business and industry, AI is already starting to have a major impact. It will continue to scale as tech improves and people become more confident in AI and see the benefits," explains Ward. He points out that whether conscious of it or not, we are already interacting with AI systems. Transcription services are one example, another is generated images used for product marketing purposes. Realizing these advances as now mainstream, will create opportunities closer to home. Like materials innovation and future-proofing complex textile supply chains. Future Think Artificial Intelligence & Outsmarting Supply Chain Setbacks. By Emily Walzer SUPPLY CHAIN/AI 20 • Textile Insight ~ Spring 2024 textileinsight.com