Cognizant launched a hosted platform for physical AI built on what it calls its Intelligence Spine. The platform links factory sensors, cameras, robots and digital twins with the software agents that reason and act. Cognizant says the aim is to stop separate systems collecting data about the same plant in isolation. Executives describe it as a central nervous system spanning many physical assets. It holds a shared memory of what agents have seen and applies one set of company rules across them. Every decision is written to a blockchain ledger, which can block actions that breach those rules. Cognizant says it targets eight sectors, including utilities, oil and gas, logistics and healthcare. It is not in broad deployment, but a handful of manufacturers, utilities and carmakers are implementing it. The platform was announced in June; executives gave the detail in an interview at Cognizant's innovation centre in Chicago.
What changed
Factory AI agents from different suppliers collected data separately and did not share it.
What it unlocks
Running agents from different equipment makers under one policy and one audit trail.
- deployable across 8 industries
What you need to act on it
- engagement with Cognizant
- factory systems from multiple suppliers
Sources