Digital twins are now widely accepted as a mainstream technology, transforming industrial facilities worldwide. A recent survey of 660 senior executives across 11 industries demonstrated clear operational benefits, with average cost savings and revenue gains of 19%. The next generation of digital twins, however, will play an even more strategic role by addressing critical challenges faced by asset-intensive industries:

• Workforce challenges: Addressing issues such as the ongoing decrease in the average tenure and experience of plant operations and maintenance personnel.
• Distributed workforce enablement: Facilitating companies with distributed workforces by eliminating site visits and offshoring key industrial processes, leading to significant improvements in safety and efficiency.
•  AI solutions for skill shortages: Leveraging autonomous systems and AI-based natural language processing to elevate the competence of a “5-year average employee” to that of a “20-year veteran.”
• Carbon emission control and reduction: According to the Hexagon survey, 8 out of 10 executives report that digital twins contribute to carbon emission reductions. We will discuss practical strategies for aligning asset-intensive companies with sustainability goals, including material reuse, repair over replacement, predictive analysis, and early detection and mitigation of emissions.

This podcast will explain both the current “state of the art” and look forward to the transition to the Smart Digital Reality and autonomy for industrial facilities.