AI accelerates steel industry transformation

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March 26, 2024MS Ignite 2024-6AI accelerates steel industry transformation

Our President and CEO Heikki Malinen spoke of the transformative impact of AI in the steel industry at Microsoft’s customer event in Finland. ”AI has long been a passion of mine, and I've dedicated considerable time to exploring its vast potential,” Heikki explains.

Benefits in safety, efficiency and sustainability

At Outokumpu, we are leveraging AI in our operations in various ways, and its most important benefits for Outokumpu are safety, efficiency, and sustainability. Heikki gives a few examples of the use of AI at Outokumpu:

  • Safety: Using robots for inspections in hazardous areas, enhancing data collection.
  • Efficiency: Our machine vision system revolutionizes quality analysis, augmented reality adds new possibilities in improved quality and faster maintenance.
  • Sustainability: Optimizing material procurement can lead to significant annual savings.

Challenges include regulation, energy sufficiency and workforce availability

”While AI offers immense potential, challenges like regulation, energy sufficiency and workforce availability remain: the use of AI also requires energy and qualified workforce, and utilizing the data is important, but how will the regulation impact that? Collaboration, especially with policymakers, is key,” Heikki continues. “I am excited for the future as we continue to harness AI's power for innovation and sustainability in steel production!”

Read more about Outokumpu and AI in the summary of his presentation >



Published Mar 26, 2024