Honeywell has launched an AI-powered tool designed to help industrial operators predict and prevent plant incidents. The Experion Operations Assistant was released following pilot programmes with energy firms Chevron and TotalEnergies.

The assistant integrates with Honeywell’s Experion PKS distributed control system, using historical and real-time data to forecast potential equipment failures or unsafe conditions. During the pilot phase, the system predicted alarm incidents an average of five to 10 minutes before they occurred, according to the company.

“By combining more than 50 years of process automation expertise with site-specific knowledge, Experion Operations Assistant helps operators anticipate issues earlier,” said Jim Masso, president and CEO of Honeywell Process Automation. The tool uses large language models to analyse site data and provide proactive advice to control room staff.

The launch addresses a growing “knowledge transfer” challenge in the industrial sector as an experienced workforce nears retirement. By capturing site-specific operational knowledge in an AI framework, Honeywell aims to maintain productivity and safety standards across global manufacturing and energy sites.