Ayna Insights

Erik Udstuen: Digital Twins & AI – How TwinThread is Transforming Industrial Productivity

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"By applying advanced analytics and AI at scale, we were able to see significant increases in fuel economy, productivity, as well as avoidance of major downtime events." - Erik Udstuen

On this episode, Parthesh Shastri talks with Erik Udstuen, CEO of TwinThread, about the future of industrial AI and digital twins. Udstuen shares his journey from GE’s energy division to founding TwinThread, highlighting the blend of generative and traditional AI in industrial settings. He advocates for virtual operations centers that scale expertise globally—illustrated by a success story at Colgate’s pet food division—and outlines strategies for IP protection, including unidirectional communication, isolated language models, and secure, client-based cloud deployments. Udstuen sees industrial AI advancing from frontline support to product innovation, calling for safe experimentation as manufacturing faces a “triple squeeze” of constraints.

Erik Udstuen, a former GE executive and chemical engineer, is the CEO of TwinThread, an industrial tech company using AI-powered digital twins to drive productivity. His early work in neural networks set records in the paper industry, and under his leadership, TwinThread has grown 400% in three years and made the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500. With a strong technical and entrepreneurial foundation, Udstuen is shaping the future of smart manufacturing, tackling challenges like workforce shifts and operational efficiency through advanced AI.

 

Discussion Points

  • (00:00) Erik Udstuen’s experience at GE managing gas turbine fleets shaped his vision for industrial AI, improving fuel efficiency, productivity, and uptime across sectors.
  • (04:20) TwinThread’s AI system transformed quality control at Colgate’s pet food division, analyzing sensor data to shift from co-pilot support to full closed-loop automation.
  • (06:45) Udstuen defines industrial AI as a full-stack ecosystem—blending generative and traditional methods—requiring robust architecture for real-world integration.
  • (08:47) TwinThread ensures data security with one-way data flows, isolated language models, and client-hosted deployments, preserving control and functionality.
  • (11:21) Erik’s early work in neural networks for pulp manufacturing set production records; today, lower AI deployment costs unlock access across industrial sectors.
  • (15:19) Udstuen sees AI enabling fewer engineers to manage more sites via centers of excellence and predicts future applications in product design and material science—all within secure, IP-safe frameworks.

    • Ayna is a premier advisory and implementation firm in the industrial technology space, leveraging a team of experienced leaders to help companies and investors drive performance improvement and value creation. The host of this episode is Anya’s Parthesh Shastri.

     

    For More Information

    Erik Udstuen LinkedIn

    TwinThread

    Ayna.AI Website

    Parthesh Shastri LinkedIn

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