The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Winter Operations
Oh August, the month that sends shivers of dread up most seasoned road managers, as we take flight in the preparation for the fight against winter. Checking over equipment, ordering material, hiring snow fighters, dusting off training programs and making lists and checking them twice.
As someone who is always looking for the most efficient way of doing things, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has caught my attention.
What role can Artificial Intelligence play in helping us streamline these operations? We have all probably heard some bad press about AI, and there are some valid challenges with AI – ethics and cost being the two biggest. But what if Artificial Intelligence has the ability to change the game of Winter Operations? What if harnessing AI technologies like machine learning, natural language processing and automation, gives us the opportunity to enhance efficiency and productivity, increase data analysis and optimize the winter customer experience?
AI isn’t as new as you may think. It emerged in the 1950s and 60s, initially relying heavily on logic-based approaches. Originally its main purpose was to replicate human intelligence through digital systems, and this paved the way for today’s transformative applications for things such as CT image reconstruction and precision farming.
Winter operations are a large portion of every municipal budget. Below are a few things that AI might be used for to enhance winter operational efficiency, and further improve productivity.
· Automation could be used for repetitive tasks that would allow us to free up human resources with things like AI powered snowplows, which may decrease the need for manual labour and allow us to use that labour somewhere else.
· AI may help us adjust plow patterns and optimize routes on the fly based on weather conditions, traffic, and road conditions to improve efficiency and minimize delays.
· We may have the ability to process large datasets quickly and extract valuable insights, such as predictive maintenance for fleet to prevent costly breakdowns during events.
· Worrying about the inventory of Sand/Salt in the Dome may become a thing of the past as AI algorithms analyze historical data such as snowfall patterns and road usage to recommend optimal stockpile size and then automatically trigger orders when they fall below a set threshold.
· When it comes to customer experience, there may be additional opportunity to free up human resources for more critical tasks while the Chatbots handle routine inquiries and respond to common questions. Chatbots can also be trained to understand emotions and discern when human intervention is necessary. Since AI can simulate training for our front-line employees, things such as role-playing to practice de-escalation and mirroring skills or providing real-time coaching based on tone speech patterns during calls may be possible.
We are about to see some changes in winter operations that will transform how we tackle the winter. Our frosty battles against snow and ice are about to get a high-tech makeover, and in my humble opinion, it can’t come fast enough.