Process safety 4.0: Artificial intelligence or intelligence augmentation for safer process operation?

Abstract

The growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has allowed industries to automate and improve their efficiency in operations. Especially in process industries, AI helps to develop intelligent models and tools to proactively monitor and predict equipment or system failures, minimize downtime, and optimize maintenance schedules. With the advancements in AI and its ability to perform tasks, there is a growing belief that AI may eventually replace humans. However, the absence of human involvement in operations in the process industry raises safety concerns. Therefore, AI should collaborate with humans rather than replace them in processing facility operations. This technology is referred to as intelligence augmentation (IA). This article (i) presents a detailed comparison between AI and IA's potential in process systems, (ii) identifies the feasibility of using AI and IA in process safety, and (iii) identifies the risk associated with the implementation of AI or IA in process industries.