Emerson introduces GenAI‍-‍enabled automation for power and water

Emerson has announced the launch of the Ovation AI-enabled Virtual Advisor, which it says is the first generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) advisor integrated into an automation system specifically designed for the power and water industries.

The addition of an AI-enabled virtual advisor as part of Emerson’s Ovation 4.0 Automation Platform is designed to provide real-time insights to increase efficiency, detect anomalies, forecast maintenance issues and empower strategic decision-making.

Emerson’s Ovation Virtual Advisor embeds localised GenAI to provide dynamic system guidance and contextual support. The solution helps users quickly gain access to Ovation system documentation, perform troubleshooting, proactively address maintenance issues and uncover optimisation opportunities through natural language interaction.

“As they navigate greater demand, complexity and climate variability, operators of today’s critical infrastructure need intelligent systems to deliver reliable power and clean water,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson’s power and water solutions business. “Using GenAI, our Ovation Virtual Advisor will help our customers more efficiently manage these essential systems through clear operational awareness, automated routine tasks and advanced data analysis. Intelligent systems help improve reliability and extend the life of existing infrastructure, paving the way for more consistent, sustainable operations.”

Emerson says the advisor uses local, pre-trained AI models based on Emerson and customer-provided system information that capture qualitative behaviour at the control layer to ensure safe and accurate results. The AI models that power the Ovation Virtual Assistant can be further customised and tuned by uploading domain-specific data and operator feedback — helping users make better operational and business decisions.

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