Schneider Electric Teams With Microsoft on Industrial AI
Schneider Electric has unveiled an industrial copilot developed in collaboration with Microsoft, integrating Azure AI Foundry with Schneider’s industrial automation solutions. The announcement comes as manufacturing organisations face mounting pressure to improve efficiency while dealing with labour shortages.
The new AI assistant, which will be available within Schneider’s recently launched EcoStruxure Automation Expert Platform, aims to eliminate repetitive tasks and support application development processes. According to the company, these capabilities will allow engineers and operators to bring systems online more rapidly while optimising them for long-term operation.
“We are at a pivotal moment where industry must achieve unprecedented levels of flexibility and efficiency with generative AI (Gen AI),” says Aurelien LeSant, Chief Technology Officer for Schneider’s Industrial Automation division. “Our Copilot, developed in collaboration with Microsoft and leveraging our deep domain expertise, is designed to improve industrial competitiveness by boosting worker confidence, simplifying processes, and bridging skills gaps.”
Schneider Electric EcoStruxure Platform provides foundation for industrial AI
The industrial copilot builds upon Schneider Electric’s existing automation infrastructure, particularly the EcoStruxure Automation Expert platform, which the company describes as the world’s first open software-defined automation solution. This foundation provides the technological architecture needed to support Gen AI capabilities in industrial environments where system reliability remains paramount.
Integration across hardware and software platforms enables the copilot to access real-time operational data, which forms the basis for its recommendations, troubleshooting suggestions and predictive maintenance capabilities. This connectivity represents a core requirement for industrial AI applications, which must remain contextually aware of plant conditions to provide meaningful guidance.
“This innovative solution proactively assists engineers in adding complex functionalities, such as new production lines, with simple steps by pre-generating code, checking for errors, and improving the reuse of existing libraries,” Aurelien explains. “It allows engineers and operators to leverage Schneider Electric’s industrial Data Sets to bring systems online faster and optimise them for long-term success.”
The technical architecture merges Microsoft’s cloud AI infrastructure with Schneider’s industrial domain knowledge, creating what both companies position as a practical implementation of Gen AI for manufacturing and process industries.
- Workforce Empowerment - Reducing mental strain on workers and providing support during high turnover periods
- Operational Efficiency - Automating routine tasks to allow workers to focus on complex activities requiring judgment
- Maintenance Optimisation - Minimising equipment downtime through immediate troubleshooting and predictive maintenance
Industrial copilot market grows amid labour shortages and Schneider Electric positions for automation expansion
The announcement comes amid increasing adoption of industrial copilots across manufacturing sectors. These AI assistants address several industrial challenges, including workforce shortages, knowledge retention during periods of high employee turnover and the complexity of modern manufacturing operations.
For Schneider Electric, the copilot represents an extension of its industrial automation portfolio, which emphasises open, software-defined systems. The company maintains operations in over 100 countries with approximately 150,000 employees and a partner network exceeding one million organisations.
Our Copilot allows engineers and operators to leverage Schneider Electric's industrial Data Sets to bring systems online faster and optimise them for long-term success.
The industrial copilot aims to reduce mental strain on workers by automating routine tasks, freeing human operators to focus on more complex activities requiring judgment and experience. Additionally, the system can integrate data from multiple sources to provide context-aware recommendations for operational improvements.
“This innovative solution proactively assists engineers in adding complex functionalities, such as new production lines, with simple steps by pre-generating code, checking for errors, and improving the reuse of existing libraries,” says Aurelien. “It allows engineers and operators to leverage Schneider Electric’s industrial Data Sets to bring systems online faster and optimise them for long-term success.”
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