Artificial Intelligence is often seen as a tool for digital transformation in white-collar and high-tech sectors. But some of the most impactful applications are happening where you’d least expect in blue-collar industries. This talk highlights how AI is revolutionizing every day, hands-on work by embedding intelligence into tasks like road maintenance, recycling, and public infrastructure monitoring.
Drawing from real-world projects including a collaboration with a UK city council to deploy AI-powered road monitoring systems I will demonstrate how niche AI technologies like computer vision, digital twins, and reinforcement learning are solving high-impact, operational challenges. This talk will explore how these solutions not only increase efficiency but also enhance worker safety, reduce costs, and improve service quality without requiring a background in tech to benefit from them.
Key Takeaways:
• Real-world examples of AI transforming blue-collar sectors like waste management and road maintenance
• How niche AI tools can be applied in practical, scalable ways
• A roadmap for non-tech industries to adopt AI and gain a competitive edge