Ignited: Striking Industrial Automation Conversations

How AI and a Smarter OT Stack Are Orchestrating the Industrial Digital Transformation

Ignited: Striking Industrial Automation Conversations

Show Notes

AI in industrial automation has generated more hype than almost any technology in recent memory. But what is actually happening on the plant floor — and what does it take to move from data collection to genuine intelligence? Travis and Tom welcome Jeff Winter, VP of Commercial Strategy at Belden and one of the most recognized voices in smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0. Jeff serves on the boards of ISA and MESA and as an advisor to CESMII, bringing an unusually clear-eyed perspective on where the industry actually stands versus where the conversation says it is. The discussion covers the real state of AI adoption in OT, why so many organizations are sitting on mountains of data they still cannot act on, and what data contextualization actually unlocks. The conversation also gets into the security implications of a more connected plant floor, the human side of automation and what AI means for the operators and technicians who have built careers around these systems, and how Belden’s own journey from a cable company to a digital infrastructure powerhouse mirrors the transformation the broader industry is navigating.

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