Honeywell, Google Cloud to Boost Industrial Autonomy with AI

Honeywell and Google Cloud are introducing a partnership aimed at transforming the industrial sector by connecting AI agents with assets, people, and processes. This collaboration seeks to enable safer and more efficient autonomous operations and aims to enhance how businesses operate by optimizing processes and human labor. 

“The path to autonomy requires assets to work harder, people to work smarter, and processes to be more efficient. By combining Google Cloud’s AI technology with our deep domain expertise — including the valuable data from our Honeywell Forge platform — customers will gain unmatched actionable insights that bridge the physical and digital worlds to accelerate autonomous operations, a key driver of Honeywell’s growth,” says Vimal Kapur, President and CEO, Honeywell. 

By integrating the multimodal and natural language capabilities of Gemini in Vertex AI — Google Cloud’s AI platform — with Honeywell Forge, a leading Internet of Things (IoT) platform for the industrial sector, the partnership will provide easy-to-understand, actionable insights across a wide range of use cases. Honeywell’s industrial customers will benefit from reduced maintenance costs, increased operational productivity, and improved employee training. The first AI-powered solutions from this collaboration are expected to be available to Honeywell customers by 2025. 

“Our partnership with Honeywell represents a significant step forward in bringing the transformative power of AI to industrial operations. With Gemini on Vertex AI, combined with Honeywell’s industrial data and expertise, we are creating new opportunities to optimize processes, train workers, and drive meaningful business outcomes for industrial organizations globally,” says Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud.

As the Baby Boomer generation reaches retirement, the industrial sector faces labor and skills shortages. AI can be part of the solution, enhancing productivity and generating revenue rather than eliminating jobs. According to Honeywell’s 2024 Industrial AI Insights report, 82% of industrial AI leaders believe their companies are early adopters of AI, but only 17% have fully implemented their initial AI plans.

The Honeywell-Google Cloud partnership will introduce AI agents that augment existing operations and workforces, helping drive wider AI adoption across the industrial sector.

Key areas of co-innovation between Honeywell and Google Cloud include:

• Custom Industrial AI Agents: Based on Google Cloud’s Vertex AI Search and tailored to meet the specific needs of engineers, these new AI agents will help automate tasks and reduce project design cycles, allowing users to focus on driving innovation and delivering exceptional customer experiences. Other agents will leverage Google’s large language models (LLM) to assist technicians in resolving maintenance issues faster. 

• Enhanced Cybersecurity: Google Threat Intelligence, featuring insights from Mandiant, will be integrated into Honeywell’s cybersecurity products, including Global Analysis, Research and Defense (GARD) Threat Intelligence, and Secure Media Exchange (SMX), to improve threat detection and protect the global infrastructure of industrial clients. 

• Advances in Edge Devices: Google’s Gemini Nano model will enhance the intelligence of Honeywell’s edge devices across multiple sectors. These devices will support use cases ranging from performance scanning to voice-guided workflows, maintenance, operations, and alarm assistance, without needing an internet or cloud connection.