The Human-Centric Automation Ecosystem
Earlier this year, the Stanford Accelerator for Learning and the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) hosted the AI+Education Summit with the goal of bringing together a variety of stakeholders to explore how best to integrate AI in an ethical, responsible, and equitable manner. While this event was focused on education, it reflects the overall reality that AI is here to stay. With that, we must harness its abilities to enhance practices rather than take away from them. Manufacturing is very much included in that mission.
The Potential of AI in Manufacturing
Although a McKinsey report published in 2024 found that the food and beverage industry’s investment in automation had yet to catch up with other industries, it concluded that those that had were experiencing “greater performance, efficiency, sustainability and safety.”
However, realizing those benefits is not just based on the adoption of automation. The true key is marrying the abilities of AI with the intricacies of human knowledge and skill. As McKinsey stated in its report, “With the help of automation technologies, workers can use their skills more strategically and efficiently. The incredible wealth of knowledge and skills in the workforce can be valued in new ways — offering benefits to everyone.” This is known as human-centric automation and AI.
Human-Centric Automation and AI
As IBM described it, “Human-Centered AI (HCAI) is an emerging discipline intent on creating AI systems that amplify and augment rather than displace human abilities.” Rather than the concept that automation and AI will simply displace, HCAI offers an approach that instead emphasizes collaboration. It’s this approach that is at the heart of Industry 5.0.
Whereas Industry 4.0 has been defined by the development and integration of digital technologies, Industry 5.0 is about striking the balance between machines and people in operations. Automation explained that the three pillars of Industry 5.0 are Human Focused, Sustainability, and Resiliency.
Essentially, by uplifting and merging the strengths of both people and technology, we will be more prepared to establish systems that take current events and demand into account to create solutions that are streamlined and proactive.
Sources:
● “Summit explores role of human-centered AI in the learning ecosystem” - Isabel Sacks, Stanford Report
https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/02/the-future-is-already-here-ai-and-education-in-2025
● “Understanding the Human-Centric Benefits of Automation in Food Manufacturing” - Claire Fallon, Food Engineering
● “What is human-centered AI?” - Werner Geyer, Justin Weisz, Claudio Santos Pinhanez, and Elizabeth Daly, IBM
https://research.ibm.com/blog/what-is-human-centered-ai
● “The Three Pillars of Industry 5.0” - Rob McAveney, Automation
https://www.automation.com/en-us/articles/october-2024/three-pillars-industry-5-0