Analyst Keynote — “Extracting Insight from the Digital Thread: AI Trends & Enablers”

Peter Bilello, President & CEO, CIMdata

Digital transformation has become a strategic priority across manufacturing, but many organizations overlook one fundamental truth: digital transformation is only as strong as the data behind it. Without the ability to understand, trust, and manage data effectively, even the most ambitious digital initiatives are destined to fall short.

In this keynote, Peter Bilello explores why data validity, accessibility, and findability are now the backbone of a successful digital thread. It’s no longer enough to simply search for information. Today’s organizations must be able to search, find, and extract actionable insight from data wherever it lives across systems, workflows, and smart connected products.

As industrial data grows exponentially, traditional indexing approaches that require all content to be centralized no longer work. Leading solution providers are moving beyond these limitations by leveraging a new generation of AI-powered search and find technologies, enabling teams to access critical information from any point in the digital thread.

During this session, you’ll learn:

  • Why data, not tools, is the real foundation of digital transformation

  • How to ensure relevant, validated data is always available when needed

  • The difference between “searching” and truly “finding” insight

  • How AI is reshaping the way manufacturers access and leverage information

  • What organizations need to unlock the full value of their digital thread

This keynote will give you a fresh perspective on how AI-enabled “search and find” capabilities can transform your operations—and why they’re essential for any modern manufacturing organization.