Ivelin Andreev, a Bulgarian AI/Azure MVP, has recently contributed an article to the book "Shaping the Future of Work" published by Kongsberg Digital. Among the co-authors, who are industry experts and business leaders, Ivelin is the sole contributor who is a Microsoft MVP. In his article: “How to Utilise AI the Right Way, Consistently,” he introduced Microsoft technologies and Azure AI, delivering a message about the future that business and technology will create together.
In this blog, we are pleased to share additional insights from Ivelin, where he delves into the core themes of the book and articulates the key messages he aimed to convey to the readers through his original articles.
*Interviewer: Martin Tatar (Community Program Manager)
What inspired you / Kongsberg Digital to write "Shaping the Future of Work"?
Each day we remind ourselves that change is the one and only unchanging aspect of the life we witness. In this dynamic landscape all of us are challenged to make myriads of choices to either compete and catch-up or be creative pioneers.
Kongsberg Digital is a Norwegian innovator, part of the Kongsberg Group, and it is in their core culture to think “Safer, Smarter and Greener.” “Shaping the Future of Work” is a form of sharing inspiration to companies from heavy-asset industries and captures the essence of collaboration with some of the most influential companies in the world. The book offers concrete strategies and real-life success stories that showcase the significant influence of technology on business operations and decision-making. It encourages leaders in these industries to adopt a fresh perspective and shape the future of their sectors.
Contributors to this book include experts and business leaders within their respective industry segments of maritime, energy and renewables. It was both an honour and challenge to team-up with such an impressive list of tech leaders and futurologists. I was the only MVP on board and was responsible for providing technical insights into the recent cutting-edge developments and research by Microsoft that have the potential to shape the future of manufacturing and industry. It was about a month ago when the company was awarded by Microsoft for its leadership in driving digital transformation and shaping the future of the energy sector, so my contribution appeared somewhat naturally aligned.
Who is the primary audience for this book, and why was it important to cater to professionals, executives, and those merely curious about the future of work?
As a part of a development team, I have of course noticed the urge in my mates to learn new stuff, to explore new domains, to solve problems and feel creative. But technology does not happen merely for the sake of curiosity. For the targeted industry leaders, it becomes an instrument that supports the digital transition and has the potential to place their organizations at the forefront of Industry 5.0 evolution.
It is when these two moving forces meet then a technology becomes great - one that you cannot see, but is seamlessly integrated, that can change behaviours, that simplifies digitalization and is human-centric. Now imagine you have been there and done that – that would be a story I would love to tell. So, in addition to managers in heavy-asset businesses, the book also aims at my tech peers who wish to understand the open issues and priorities in the sector and to provide solutions that shape the landscape.
How does the book approach the topic of the evolving landscape of heavy-asset work? How can the community benefit from reading it?
As an MVP I am used to making technology contributions, preparing PoCs, taking part in workshops, leading Q&A sessions, sharing experience and similar. This book was another sort of challenge as it required a shift in the way of thinking beyond the technical aspect and focusing on the potential value and the transformational power. The evolving landscape appears as a catalyst for finding innovative solutions that push further the boundaries and redefine state of the art. To me each page of the book is a source of inspiration as it skillfully combines vision of the future, specific instruments and tools to show credible steps to realize that vision and success stories – somehow to demonstrate that reality is what until recently seemed fictional.
How does the book address the technological advancements and their role in shaping the future of heavy-asset work?
With the presence of that many frameworks, toolkits, and low code AI related services the question is no longer how to do AI, but how to do AI right. Topics like responsible AI and following a process that guarantees you achieve reproducible good results are not just in focus, but they even become part of regulations. In this sense, as an AI MVP I am proud that Microsoft has made loud commitment that AI solutions are developed responsibly and in a way that warrants trust. Besides these fundamental aspects, the book addresses other technical topics like – autonomous systems, analytical solutions with space-born data, generative models as such having sparks of general intelligence, rather than simply source of memorization, NextGen computer vision technologies like project Florence and gamification principles to increase the impact of solutions for heavy-asset industry. In all the topics we discuss sample use cases and potential measurable benefits these concepts could bring to the target sector.
Are there specific industries or sectors (i.e. AI) that the book delves into more deeply when discussing the future of heavy-asset work?
Of course, there are some specific industry sectors that are more targeted by the book and this comes logically as a consequence of the expertise and collaborations in Kongsberg Digital. What is common to them is that they involve huge engineering work, are high carbon intensive, subject to regulations, manage highly critical and expensive assets that require performance monitoring, maintenance, uninterrupted supply chain but most importantly – safety, safety, safety. Maritime, energy management, renewables, oil and gas have some common characteristics and challenges that benefit from AI, simulation models, automation, orchestration to increase productivity, enhance workflows and sustainability.
What are the key takeaways you hope readers will gain from "Shaping the Future of Work"?
Mainly, the reader should open the book with the right mindset of balance. This is not the typical tech book, that will become outdated before the end of the year. I have collaborated in similar initiatives in the past, and from the distance of time I feel (with some regret) how transient that effort was, because technologies evolved too fast. Despite the catchy design, this is also not a marketing book but a declaration of a viewpoint aiming to motivate the reader to take the journey on an untrodden path of transformation to create instead of competing.
With the right expectations in place, the key takeaway is to embrace the vision to take part in the process to revolutionize global industries through technology by changing and shaping how people work. From what I have seen as an MVP, this is exactly what Microsoft is aiming at as a leader in providing cloud and AI solutions.
After reading Ivelin's comments, those who are interested in this book can download a PDF file of the book from the Kongsberg Digital website. However, please note that you will need to input your email, first and last name, company name, and job title when downloading, so we recommend that only those who consent to this proceed with clicking [Download Book]. Additionally, as this is not a publication of Microsoft or Microsoft Press, please direct any questions or inquiries regarding the content to Kongsberg Digital.
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