Author: Peggy Smedley
Peggy Smedley and Julie Fraser, VP of research for operations, Tech-Clarity, talk about the current state of smart manufacturing and data challenges, narrowing in on the role gen AI (artificial intelligence) is playing. She says a new report is designed to help manufacturers understand what the potential is for them. They also discuss: How to best leverage AI to gain value in manufacturing. How software companies are building agents into technology—and what this will mean for manufacturing. How to make sure your data is ready. tech-clarity.com (6/10/25 – 924) What You Might Have Missed: The IIoT Journey The Bumpy Road…
Construction is picking up at a rapid clip. We see construction jobs have increased in 184 metro areas between April 2024 and April 2025. As these projects pick up speed, we must consider how we create a culture of safety around the jobsite. This is something we have written about a number of times. And I have talked about this very subject matter countless times on my radio program, The Peggy Smedley Show. PPE (personal protective equipment) such as hard hats have only become mandatory on jobsites in the last half a century or so. If we follow the numbers,…
The digital-twin maturity curve is like many others—the term dates back decades. However, digital twins really gained widespread adoption in the 2010s. So, what exactly is the current state of digital twin in manufacturing and construction? First, a bit of a primer. Digital twin date back to the 1960s when we witnessed NASA create a living model of the Apollo mission. Why was a digital twin created? Apollo 13’s oxygen tank exploded and there was damage to the main engine. To address this, NASA employed multiple simulators to evaluate the failure and extended the physical model of the vehicle to…
Peggy Smedley talks about the clean power manufacturing sector, explaining how it is driving the U.S. economic boom. She says we need to make, build, and grow together, which will require several shifts in manufacturing. She also discusses: How much it contributes to the U.S. GDP annually today—and will in 2030. Growth anticipated for jobs, earnings, and economic output. How it can help generate opportunities for local communities. peggysmedleyshow.com (6/3/25 – 923) What You Might Have Missed: A Primer on Clean Energy Clean Energy Trends to Watch The State of the Grid IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence,…
Peggy Smedley and James Zou, professor, Stanford University, talk about AI (artificial intelligence) agents and how AI is being used in scientific discovery. He says it is important to think about the difference between AI as a tool and AI as a collaborator, or an agent. They also discuss: What scientific problems are best suited for AI agents to solve—and which are still out of reach. How to ensure everything being produced is accurate and trustworthy. If the role or the degree to which students are entering university changed because of AI. james-zou.com (6/3/25 – 923) What You Might Have…
Peggy Smedley and Adam Brotman and Andy Sack, cofounders, Forum 3, and authors, AI First, talk about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for businesses, with the advancement of AI (artificial intelligence). Andy says the young people are using AI all day every day and they have a set of skills and intelligence that are broad. Adam says the AI first company starts with the AI first leader. They also discuss: The importance of becoming an AI first organization. The AI learning journey they went on. The playbook for AI that can help future proof a business. forum3.com (6/3/25…
Much is changing in the heavy equipment world—from the financing to the attachments to the embedded technology to the type of worker operating the machine. Keeping an eye on the trends will be key to ensuring success in the future. First, we see data from the U.S. BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) shows a bump in employment. Overall employment of heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians is projected to grow 9% from 2023 to 2033, or roughly 24,100 openings each year on average throughout the course of the decade. This is faster than the average for all occupations due…
Smart cities are coming—and in some cases they are already here. We continue to see case study after case study of how new technologies, including AI (artificial intelligence), continue to emerge, transforming our connected cities. Let’s consider one of those interesting cities in this column today. Travel with me through the city of Dubuque, Iowa. The city is using enhanced traffic management, including AI, for city management. The city of Dubuque, Iowa, wanted to maximize the value of its expansive video network, which included more than 1,300 cameras citywide. While these cameras provided extensive coverage, city officials wanted to go…
Peggy talks about work zone and road safety, saying there are far too many crashes. She explores the dangers that exist on the road today, identifying how to keep workers and motorists safe. She also discusses: Research that has been conducted. Efforts being made at the local and federal levels. A case study that is leveraging technology in a unique way to ensure construction workers are safe. peggysmedleyshow.com (5/27/25 – 922) What You Might Have Missed: Tech to the Rescue Improving Road Safety and Efficiency Driving Insights IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital…
Peggy Smedley and Kat Kraft, director of product, Teren, talk about geospatial analysis, sharing how her organization is using predictive analytics to help her clients shift the paradigm from a reactive response to a more proactive response. She says the company develops and applies machine learning to identify where environmental conditions are changing that may trigger risks to communities or critical infrastructure. They also discuss: How geospatial analysis can help in a number of different areas. The challenges that relate to geospatial analysis and Earth science. If we see an impact on the bottomline. teren4d.com (5/27/25 – 922) What You…