2026 - AVEVA World - Milan - Spotlight Theatre
Spotlight: Autonomous Operations: the “self-driving” plant
As AI becomes more powerful, cutting-edge solutions arise. Things that were never possible are now happening. This session will showcase a forward-looking solution where entire plant processes are controlled by AI, either fully autonomously or with human in-the-loop. This includes startups, shutdowns, and major operational disruptions.
Company
AVEVA
Speaker
Jim Chappell
With over 30 years of experience in the industrial software sector, Jim Chappell is currently AVEVA’s global vice president and head of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Prior to this, he led the Asset Performance Management (APM) suite of products and related engineering/analytics services for Schneider Electric. He was also a founding partner and managing officer of InStep Software, a global leader in industrial AI-driven Predictive Analytics and Big Data software, which was acquired by Schneider Electric in 2014. Jim holds a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY, a M.S. in Nuclear Engineering from the Naval Nuclear Power School in Orlando, FL, and a M.B.A. from Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawaii. In addition, he graduated from the Civil Engineer Corps Officer's School (CECOS) in Port Hueneme, CA. He also held a top-secret clearance while an officer in the U.S. Nuclear Navy.