Nimrata Nadkarni, CEO and Founder of Intent Communications and Consulting, emphasized the importance of adopting a strategic approach in the application of artificial intelligence technology in the maritime industry at the recently held AI Transparency in Maritime Conference. This conference was held to examine the challenges and opportunities of AI in this industry, with a gathering of digital and AI leaders from various fields including technology, transportation, commercial law, healthcare, and finance.
The Necessity of Learning from Other Industries
Nadkarni stated in her speech: "The maritime industry must learn from other industries and create a common language, as these technologies connect us to other sectors of transportation, legal, and financial. The maritime industry is a critical infrastructure, and we cannot afford to let mistakes happen. This issue distances us from aligning with the tech industry's motto of 'fail fast and build better.' We cannot afford to fail.
She also emphasized the importance of understanding and mitigating risks when employing these evolving tools, stating: "We must think carefully about adopting these tools; it is essential to understand and mitigate risks as much as possible, identify strengths at the industry and company level, and collaborate with authorities."
Balancing Excitement, Trust, and Operational Risk
During the conference sessions, a practical plan was proposed for senior managers that included reducing excitement related to AI, assessing use cases, preparing employees at sea and onshore, and enhancing cybersecurity. Grant Allen, Technology Program Manager at Google, stated: "AI has great potential and can accomplish significant tasks, but we must not forget that it is humans who work with these tools. If this issue relates to change management, we must win hearts and minds."
Ultimately, a general consensus was reached that readiness for AI depends on structured and clean data to prevent errors and misconceptions. Organizations must also recognize that AI acts as a risk multiplier and reveals new threats in the interconnected supply chain.
The AI Transparency in Maritime Conference is a milestone in the digitalization and AI campaign in maritime, which includes a series of executive gatherings and a report on industry insights for the near future. Nadkarni added: "This conference helped us achieve a shared understanding of the opportunities and challenges of AI."
