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Learn five key areas to target when laying the groundwork for a potential AI implementation at your facility.

Brand Insights from Easy Automation, Inc.

We are in a transformative era, marked by the increasing implementation of AI in both our personal and professional lives. We’ve already seen tools like ChatGPT make their way into our conversations, and we don’t see these new tools going away. While there are still many unknowns surrounding AI and its potential benefits in agricultural facilities, we believe there is a significant opportunity for these new technologies to enhance the efficiency, safety, and profitability of our facilities.

While there are many different levels of comfort and acceptance in implementing AI tools at our facilities, we’ve identified five key areas to target when laying the groundwork for a potential AI implementation at your facility.

1. Clean and Refine Existing Data
2. Identify Missing Data and Capture It
3. Modernize Technology Stack and Storage
4. Clarify and Enhance Data Security
5. Align with Forward-Moving Partners

Clean and Refine Existing Data

Where is your data being recorded and stored? How many different software programs or spreadsheets do you have that store your data? Are those individual systems talking to each other, or is there duplicate data? AI technology can only run as efficiently as the data that is provided. In the agricultural facilities we work with, we often see multiple different software programs, including accounting, formulation, order management, trucking, automation, and many others. While many of these programs are necessary for each facility to achieve its business objectives, the systems must work together to provide clean, accurate, and real-time data to be compatible with any future AI integration.  

Identify Missing Data and Capture It

Is there an area in your operation where you don’t have any real information or data? Consider your equipment, hazard monitoring sensors, bin levels, truck routing, fleet management, and truck flow within your facility. What comes to mind for your facility? While some new-built facilities capture all this information from the beginning, as our facilities evolve, there are often areas that are missed. Without this data, we are seeing an inaccurate picture of your whole facility from a data standpoint. The power of AI lies in its ability to see the complete picture of data and draw insights and predictions from historical data. Invest in identifying your missing data and take steps to capture it in preparation for future AI implementation.

Modernize Technology Stack and Storage

At a minimum, your facility needs to be connected to the internet, and data must be stored on an accessible platform. Unfortunately, Excel documents on a desktop won’t suffice. Our recommended criteria for modernizing your technology stack include storing in an easily accessible database that offers API connectivity and cloud-based storage. They can log real-time, all-inclusive facility data quickly and accurately. We aim to avoid data silos with multiple disparate data storage areas and prevent systems that are difficult to access or integrate with. API connectivity will be essential, and we want to avoid any systems that require cumbersome custom development to connect to.

Clarify and Enhance Data Security

Security must be at the forefront of the AI implementation conversation. Your data is one of your most valuable assets.  We want to ensure that where you place your data or who you allow to analyze it is a reputable source that has been rigorously vetted. Before placing your data in any AI program, it is essential to understand all of the data privacy and security terms and conditions.

Align with Forward-Moving Partners

Do you want to be an expert in AI implementation at your facility? Maybe. However, we recommend aligning yourself with a partner in the industry who is moving forward in that direction and allowing them to become experts, meeting your needs in this area. It is essential to ask questions that provide insight into where that partner is today, as well as where they are headed in the future. Add it to your company’s roadmap and ensure it is also included on your partners’ roadmaps. 

At Easy Automation, we have AI implementation on our roadmap and are actively taking steps forward to provide a solution that makes the most sense for our customers. Are you interested in seeing how we might align or learning more about this? Contact our team at 507-728-8214 or by visiting our website at www.easy-automation.com.

Written by Brian Sokoloski – CTO at Easy Automation, Inc.

As the industry shifts with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Propel Manila is positioning itself to integrate these technologies into its work. The independent agency continues to build on its track record in digital and creative services, approaching AI with both innovation and responsibility.

Propel Manila’s roadmap begins with acknowledging the significant impact AI will have on the industry and its own processes. The agency is embracing new technology while remaining aligned with its core values.

“We are not just adapting. We’re building a creative tank of the future — powered by AI, led by people,” says JC Valenzuela, Founder and Chief Executive of Propel Manila. “We embrace innovation but we remain rooted at the heart of everything, the human intervention from knowing the taste, having the instinct, the strategic thinking. That’s our edge.”

At a time when the industry is grappling with disruption, Propel Manila’s AI agenda is not driven by fear nor hype, but by purpose, continuing its advocacy of merging creativity, technology and innovation in ways that amplify human talents.

Internally, the agency has coined the term The Compression Zone to describe its model where AI automation of routine tasks meets human ingenuity. This approach, now becoming a standard, paves way for the two major shifts defining the agency’s strategic direction: The Great Upskilling and The Hybrid Renaissance.

Through The Great Upskilling, Propel Manila is investing in its people by providing tools and training across disciplines, enabling them to master these new AI technologies. It is not about replacing human talents, it’s about empowering every member of its team, unlocking new ways to think, create, and lead.

The Hybrid Renaissance underscores how creativity at Propel Manila lives in between human insight and machine learning by fostering a collaborative environment where AI supports the unique strength of human creativity. This hybrid approach unlocks possibilities in strategic thinking, cultural nuance, emotional intelligence and above all, the agency’s collective success in creating high-impact digital-first creativity.

“Together, we’re building a modern, AI-powered creative tank that is agile, imaginative, and most importantly, powered by the great minds and incredible talent of our people,” Valenzuela added.

The Blueprint on Responsible AI
With great technology comes great responsibility. A powerful tool like AI comes with valid concerns, specifically on privacy and security. From intellectual property to privacy safeguards, Propel Manila is building strong governance around its AI programs, anchored in transparency, ethics, and accountability.

This commitment includes the creation of Propel Manila AI x Human Charter, a codified set of guidelines on how the agency will responsibly utilize AI in partnership with human creativity. This shall set clear standards, boundaries, and best ethical practices to ensure when used right, AI becomes a force multiplier for the kind of work that moves people and brands.

Valenzuela added: “We are setting up frameworks that protect the integrity of our work and the people behind it. In fact, we are forming an AI council within the agency to help build and test new tools and provide feedback on our systems. We use AI to scale brilliance—not to diminish the originality, the ideas that matter, that defines us.”

The Horizon of Co-Creation
Propel Manila has already introduced and has started integrating AI-powered tools into creative processes such as briefing, ideation, production, and performance analyses. The agency is taking a careful and measured approach, allowing teams to learn and adapt as they progress.

As Propel Manila’s journey with AI unfolds, the impact will be felt across all its stakeholders. For clients, it means being with a creative partner that not only embraces change but also delivers work that is faster, sharper, and more strategically relevant. For its people, continuous upskilling will equip them to thrive in this era while empowering them to focus on high-value pursuits such as collaboration and ideation—and ultimately, achieve a healthy work-life balance. And for the agency itself, it means deepening its commitment to future-proofing, ensuring it navigates industry shifts with both agility and responsibility.

“We’re inviting partners, clients, and the creative community to help shape what’s next,” says Arvon Fernandez, Managing Director of Propel Manila. “Explore the tools. Join the conversation. Give feedback. Share ideas for innovation and take part in learning and development opportunities. Let’s co-build and grow this movement together.”

“AI is only as powerful as the people who use it.”