ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND AUTOMATION: TRANSFORMING PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY IN SMART INDUSTRIES

Abstract

This study aimed to explore how the use of AI and automation can impact productivity and the effective way of working in smart industries. In this study, the qualitative phenomenological research method was employed, focussing on the lived experiences of the industry practitioners, engineers and managers working in an AI-driven industrial context and their professional perceptions. 28 purposefully selected participants from the manufacturing, logistics and digital production sectors of Pakistan participated in semi-structured interviews and FGDs. Data were coded in the process of thematic analysis, and themes and conceptual categories were identified. The results revealed that AI and automation can have a significant impact on increasing the efficiency of workflows, decision-making processes, and operational output, in general. Other issues that were highlighted in the community were the loss of the workforce, implementation costs, skills shortage and change resistance in organisations. The factors found to be crucial for integrating AI and automation in smart industries were strategic workforce training, institutional support and openness to change in organizational culture. The results are relevant to the policy makers, industrial leaders and technology developers who are aiming to catalyze the transition in a responsible and sustainable way with the support of AI in the new industrial economies.

Keywords

To identify keywords and term used in literature and analyse the common themes of the study. Objectives: To find the keywords and terms found in literature and also to look into the common themes of the study.