Automation and Robotics Consulting

After talking with Robbie Bent last week, I’m convinced every digital worker should hire a personal AI consultant. I know I will. The irony? Robbie’s company, Othership, is an antidote to tech—a social bathhouse where phones are banned to encourage presence and human connection. Yet, he’s deeply focused on technology and how it can improve the way he runs his business. After hours of hearing about AI’s potential in tech podcasts, Robbie wanted to move beyond ChatGPT and integrate AI into his workflows. He realised trying out all the latest tools himself was going to be a full-time job, and that’s when he decided to hire a personal AI consultant—someone who could analyze his processes and identify how AI could drive real efficiency gains. The goal was to eliminate busywork and free up his time for higher level decision-making. Think Accenture, but for the entrepreneurial age. He had four criteria for the person he wanted to work with: 🏗️ Strong engineering background  🥷 Startup experience  🎖️ 10-12 existing clients who had already implemented successful AI solutions  💰 High consulting rates ($500-$1,000/h) to signal expertise and focus on ROI They started by spending an hour reviewing Robbie’s workflow and focused on the highest leverage areas, including recruiting & hiring automation, sales & outreach and negotiation coaching. One interesting industry-specific use case they came up with was to train a model on all the construction-related meetings and documents to have it extract key takeaways, flag issues and track progress, eventually helping them minimize risk in their expansion, a critical challenge for brick & mortar businesses. The consultant then went in implementation mode, testing AI integrations in real time. This typically involved stitching together different AI models, workflow automations, and tools. Robbie didn’t stop at his own workflow. He decided to give all his senior leaders access to this personal AI consultant, so they too could optimize their own processes. The goal is to make AI a core part of how everyone in the company operates. It’s not a “once and done” type of project. AI capabilities are growing so fast, that what isn’t possible today may become possible in six months. Robbie plans to repeat this process annually, ensuring his company is always operating at the cutting-edge. His key takeaways from his first-hand experience so far: 1️⃣ AI is not replacing jobs per se but multiplying the effectiveness of great employees 2️⃣ While brick-and-mortar locations won’t see major AI-driven changes, corporate HQ roles could be optimized, potentially reducing the need for middle management 3️⃣ AI tools aren’t fully automated yet 4️⃣ Employees need AI training: how to integrate AI into daily workflows, what data to input for optimal results, when to trust vs. refine AI-generated content, etc. Drop a comment if you’d like me to share details on the AI consultant he’s been working with!

Robots get the spotlight. But software and maintenance decide whether they deliver. In warehouse automation projects, I’ve seen two factors quietly make or break long-term success: 1. Software Integration Without clean handshakes between your WMS, ERP, and robotics platform, even the best robots stall. What looks like a tech failure is often a data delay, a missing field, or a workflow mismatch between systems. 2. Maintenance Ownership Automated warehouses need a team that owns uptime. That means: spare parts strategy, scheduled PMs, escalation plans, and someone who sees maintenance as a system, not just a task. These don’t show up in flashy demos. But they’re the difference between short-term excitement and long-term value. If you're planning robotics or already live these are the conversations you need to do today. Happy to be a second set of eyes if you're thinking through either. I've seen what works and what happens when these are skipped. #warehouseautomation #systemintegration #warehouserobotics #maintenancestrategy #supplychainops

Quick update on one of the use cases: Last week, during a meeting with a customer, we identified a unique blend of traditional Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and advanced Agentic AI requirements. Their automation needs ranged from rule-based tasks like data reconciliation to more complex decision-making processes. It was crucial to differentiate between the capabilities of RPA and Intelligent Automation powered by Agentic AI. RPA excels in automating structured, repetitive tasks such as data entry or invoice handling, prioritizing speed and accuracy. On the other hand, Agentic AI is more suitable for tasks requiring judgment, real-time learning, or goal-oriented workflows. These intelligent agents can grasp context, adapt strategies, and initiate proactive measures—features beyond RPA's capabilities. We stressed the importance of adopting AI based on tangible business outcomes rather than following trends. It's vital to align automation with measurable impacts like cost reduction, increased efficiency, enhanced accuracy, or better customer experiences. Each use case should be evaluated independently, utilizing RPA for rule-based, repetitive tasks and Agentic AI for cognitive decision-making processes. Our approach advocates for a balanced deployment strategy, ensuring efficiency and intelligence without unnecessary complexity. By focusing on intentional, value-centered automation, the customer is now equipped to progress with a roadmap that optimally utilizes both RPA and Agentic AI. This approach aims to enhance ROI and establish a robust foundation for scalable innovation.

Partnering for Automation Success As manufacturers navigate the new era of automation, choosing the right automation partner is essential for success. The most effective automation solutions are not one-size-fits-all; they require customization to address industry-specific challenges. An ideal automation partner should offer: ●      Industry expertise – A deep understanding of manufacturing challenges and solutions. ●      Customization capabilities – Tailored automation solutions that align with unique production requirements. ●      Ongoing support – Long-term collaboration to ensure continuous improvement and adaptation to evolving needs. Leading automation solution providers are helping manufacturers integrate automation in a way that maximizes efficiency, quality, and adaptability. By leveraging expertise in robotics, automation integration, and process optimization, System Integrators provide manufacturers with the tools and support they need to thrive in this evolving landscape. Looking ahead, the role of automation in manufacturing will continue to expand. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine vision, and predictive analytics will further enhance automation capabilities, enabling smarter and more adaptive production systems. Manufacturers that proactively embrace automation will be better positioned to meet market demands, navigate economic uncertainties, and drive long-term growth. By fostering a culture of continuous innovation and investing in strategic automation initiatives, companies can ensure they remain competitive in the new era of manufacturing.

Everyone's watching Tesla and Figure build humanoids. Yet, the robotics gold rush is happening inside restaurants, hotels, and hospitals. Smart operators aren't waiting for the future. They're automating today: While tech companies promise humanoid breakthroughs, actual businesses are transforming operations with practical robotics right now. Tesla talks about Optimus learning from videos. Figure demonstrates impressive lab capabilities. However, they're not yet generating ROI in real businesses. Unglamorous robots drive the profitable revolution. UV disinfection units in hospitals. Delivery bots in hotels. Kitchen automation in restaurants. They're working 24/7 and delivering measurable returns. Medication delivery robots don't look human. They look like rolling cabinets. But they navigate hospital corridors autonomously, freeing nurses for patient care. Healthcare facilities report significant efficiency gains. Restaurant robotic equipment handles repetitive tasks. Not particularly exciting to watch, but operators report 20-40% labor cost reductions and a doubling of productivity. Hotels, warehouses, manufacturing - the pattern repeats everywhere. Early adopters gain compound advantages. While competitors debate humanoid timelines, they're refining operations and reinvesting savings. The productivity gap widens quarterly. By 2027, this gap will become insurmountable. Companies that automate now will operate at efficiency levels that traditional businesses cannot match. Most businesses struggle with implementation. Which processes first? Which robots? How to integrate? Vendors sell equipment and disappear. After 18 years of bringing robotics to thousands of businesses, we built what the industry needed. Complete last-mile support. RobotLAB teams nationwide handle everything from assessment to service. I wrote "Our Robotics Future" as a practical guide. When you're ready to stop watching demos and start building a competitive advantage, we have someone in your city who can be on-site today. The robotics revolution isn't coming. It's here. Time to stake your claim.

Roboticists love to look to the world of AI to foretell their future. Recently, we’ve seen some interesting trends about what happens after the “ChatGPT moment.” One of them: the largest enterprise AI company in FY2024 was not OpenAI, but Accenture, with 9x growth and $3b in bookings. OpenAI took note and recently announced a new consulting business with a $10m minimum: https://lnkd.in/gwRjEny6 Why move into consulting? The real problem in enterprise AI is integration into the customer workflow, training employees, maintaining performance, and supporting when things don’t work. In robotics this is an even bigger problem: integrating into a physical enterprise workflow requires a whole different level of analysis, design, planning, deployment, training, maintenance, and support. Plus there are nontrivial tasks specific to physical buildings like permitting and utilities installation. And the final solution needs high productivity and extremely high uptime, so every last detail needs to be done right. Perhaps the biggest winners of enterprise AI robotics will not be the technology providers, but those who ensure a comprehensive, fast, and reliable integration into customer processes.