Everyone knows that AI is the technology that has quickly become attributed to what is called the “fourth industrial revolution,” causing significant changes in job markets and a boom in investment across the globe. But what does the emergence of new-age genAI capabilities mean for specific industries? And how can it be tailored to serve goals in a diverse world of business operations?
IFS, an ERP vendor that caters to industrial and financial solutions, emphasized the importance of industry-specific AI capabilities by announcing its acquisition of EmpowerMX, an AI-powered aviation maintenance software provider specializing in Airframe Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) solutions.
According to IFS and EmpowerMX, the collaboration will offer aerospace and defense (A&D) customers an improved maintenance management system that can support multiple users in multiple roles, as well as provide well-documented, paperless governance in the form of electronic task cards and logbooks. For A&D customers specifically, a collaboration like this could improve efficiencies, enhance production control, minimize turn-around times and reduce maintenance costs.
Commenting on the partnership, Aly Pinder, research vice president of Aftermarket Services Strategies at IDC, said: “For the aviation MRO and the airline industry, digital transformation initiatives are critical to addressing operational challenges, including long turnaround times, out-of-service aircraft and compliance adherence.
“[…] The acquisition of EmpowerMX will complement IFS’s existing cloud-based aviation maintenance solution and present IFS with an opportunity to strengthen its market position in the MRO sector.”
Historically, the A&D industry has proved to be one of the most prominent adopters of AI, due to the criticality of timely and efficient operations, especially with the growth of supply chain disruption, labor and skills shortages, capacity shortfall, compliance and ESG reporting in recent years. As such, another example of A&D giants investing in collaboration and deployment of AI is Airbus, which has recently partnered with Helsing, Europe’s leading defense AI and software company, to advance the use of unmanned aircraft.
Therefore, as can be seen from the recent updates, the deployment of AI in the A&D industry is gaining momentum, and soon we will see more providers and users collaborating to advance the technology. In a time when disruptions are becoming the new norm and operational efficiency is essential, a collaboration like this may be the needed solution that could help tackle the demands of the ever-growing and evolving market.
