- The most effective process is the one in which technology works together with a human - said Artur Pollak, founder and president of APA Group. What does the company do, how does it perceive the development of technology in the industry? We talked about all this at the headquarters of Automation Trader during an exclusive interview.
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Are we currently living in groundbreaking times that will completely change our perception of how to work, even in the toughest sectors? Is the revolution, which is accelerating more and more every year, still a phenomenon from which there is a retreat? It seems unlikely, and everything indicates that we are already witnessing the entry into a completely new era.
A new era
But what exactly is it about? Of course, about progressive automation, as well as extremely accurate data analysis, which is crucial in virtually every process today. - To paraphrase a bit, I have a crystal ball to which I am able to ask a question and give the client an answer to a question he was unable to get an answer to before - said Artur Pollak in an interview with the president of Automation Trader, Maciej Szczotka.
- It's a bit like with the chatbot, which has been making a huge sensation for some time. Anyone can ask a question there and we are all fascinated by the possibilities. The fact that he can write an essay for us, solve a mathematical equation and prepare a picture based on our guidelines. And exactly the same is possible in the industry today - added the president of APA Group.
This, in turn, leads to the possibility of making a bold thesis. - From my conversations with people in the industry, it is increasingly clear that we will define our lives as "before the chatbot" and "after the chatbot". These two lives will be completely different and in a moment we will not imagine that we could function without it. Of course, this is my opinion and in some time we will be able to confront how it relates to reality, but I think that's how it will be.
Is there anything to be afraid of?
Changes, as in every area of life, have their supporters, as well as those who are skeptical about them. People who are open to new things and boldly follow changes, and those who have a much more conservative approach, even where breaking the barrier of fear seems to be a necessity. You do not need to be a great expert on the subject to see what changes have taken place in technology, industry or even the simple comfort of how we function in everyday life.
In industry, of course, this is quite evident. The current production plants, compared to the factories from a dozen or so years ago, are heaven and earth. Those who, in turn, want to use the novelty, are very often not interested in the technology itself, but look at the effects and benefits that it can bring to them. - Our customers are very often not interested in the technology itself as a rule. This may be a bit iconoclastic, but the truth is that people are still afraid of change, said Dr. Artur Pollak.
Since there are people who have concerns or are simply not fully convinced, companies offering new solutions must make every effort to help them dispel any doubts. This attitude is, in turn, one of the foundations of the APA group's activity. - Coming back to the fact that people are afraid of changes, I can confirm it one hundred percent, because we measured it ourselves at APA Group. That is why we try to make every effort to ensure that people, our customers, are not surprised by technology. So that they are not afraid of it and that there are no situations in which they do not know what exactly it is and whether it can do anything bad to them - he said.
- That is why we have invested a lot of resources, time and commitment in education and cooperation with universities. We have strongly developed our relations with the Silesian University of Technology as a research university, with which we jointly develop an algorithm for various parts of production lines and technologies. We have built an industrial showroom, which is currently operating as part of the university's infrastructure. This is the line of industry 4.0, or rather a small factory that has been made available to all scientists, all departments, he continued.
Education and awareness
One of the biggest doubts of all those who are not fully convinced that automation, robotization and technology will enter their lives on such a scale is the fear that in a moment humans will no longer be needed at all. - We talk about integration with people all the time, which is why we also cooperate quite closely with the University of Silesia, specifically with the psychology department. We test algorithms. We test how effective they should be, how people should be taken care of in the production process. We must remember that man will stay in this process.
- You hear a lot about these threats, that if I put a robot somewhere, it will automatically eliminate the operator. Or maybe the operator is to stay in the process? What competences should he have? Should he be entering some sort of race against the robot? Should he be afraid of him? In our opinion, technology should not interfere with the process, but enter it and help it, bring savings - added Artur Pollak.
There can be no doubt that progress in most cases is tantamount to simplification and greater comfort. Where today you have to spend a lot of energy and time, you will soon be able to introduce huge savings in these areas.
- We as humans are not constructed in such a way as to work hard in any long units of time. Yes, we work in factories because that's how the process was defined, but we certainly weren't born for it. So we need to be aware of this and come up with a solution together for people who work hard or even very hard today. I probably wouldn't last a minute in such a trial of a miner or steelworker, but that's why I was educated, to replace these difficult situations with a robot, an automatic machine and an IT system. I believe that those people who work hard today will appreciate these new solutions - said the founder of APA Group.
Man and robot
The basis of all these considerations is, of course, data analysis, which is now possible on an unprecedented scale. - Today, in the industry, we do not use all available tools so widely, but this is the time when companies implementing them are building their gigantic economic advantage. And here I have two examples at once to support this thesis.
- One is Amazon, the other is Tesla. Two outstanding managers who stated that they would make business decisions based on the collected data. It is really amazing that one man had a bookstore at the beginning, and now he has the largest logistics company in the world, and the other gained his experience based on payment systems, which have always been deeply analyzed and transferred it to the production processes of electric cars, which practically they are digitized throughout the process.
So we are talking about a de facto breakthrough in the industry, which was possible thanks to data analysis. If it was possible to do it there, then we as people, as managers, must allow thinking that we can also use it in decision-making processes. That is why at APA, when creating systems, we build such modules so that each manager can see the data and certain recommendations. However, the most effective process is currently the one in which artificial intelligence works together with a human - admitted our interlocutor.
In the opinion of Artur Pollak, analysis, knowledge and its appropriate selling is an absolute basis. People need to understand what this progress is really about, and from there it's a short way to get technology and people to work together at the most efficient level possible.
- The truth is that man has intuition, we have broader knowledge, feelings. We are also creative. And that is why one supported by the other gives a gigantic advantage and in all these industrial processes we try to show managers who manage processes, factory owners or those who pay money what is worth investing in - in the short, medium or long term. We show how technology can pay off and earn money. It is not really a cost, because it pays off very quickly. However, you need to trust these analyzes and conclusions. You simply can't be afraid of change - concluded the president of APA Group.
