Remote Operations – Digital Twin as a Central Systems of the Industrial Metaverse Infused with AI
Panel 5 turned its attention to a recurring concern across the industry: how to use AI agents in operational environments without compromising safety or trust. Speakers emphasised that capability alone is not enough; AI must be shaped and supervised by people who understand the physics, logic and behavioural patterns of the systems it influences. Training, experience and engineering intuition were described as essential counterbalances to models that may be powerful, yet still vulnerable to errors or misinterpretation.
The discussion highlighted that true reliability depends on much more than an algorithm’s output. Participants noted that AI models often struggle with anomalies, edge cases or shifts in operating conditions, making consistent validation crucial. They argued for AI systems that reveal their intermediate reasoning rather than delivering opaque conclusions, enabling operators to judge whether an outcome aligns with first principles. Without this transparency, false positives risk unnecessary disruption and false negatives risk genuine harm — particularly in offshore, hazardous or continuous-process environments.
Cybersecurity and data stewardship were also identified as vital guardrails. As more operational decisions move toward automation, the panel stressed the need for rigorous due diligence on training data, model provenance, and attack surfaces that can emerge from interconnected supply chains. They discussed the importance of retraining models as assets evolve, ensuring decisions remain aligned with current conditions rather than outdated assumptions. The session closed with a clear view of the path forward: AI must enhance, not replace, human judgement, supported by transparent systems, strong governance and fail-safe mechanisms that keep operators in control.
Speakers
- John Cumming, Director COE, Data & the Digital Asset, Worley Consulting
- Manish Kumar, OT Network & Cybersecurity Manager Global Innovation & Digital Engineering at Kent
- Mostafa Mobasher, Assistant Professor of Civil and Urban Engineering, NYU Abu Dhabi
- Mithula Jeyabalasingam, Business Manager, Middle East, Data & Digital Integration, Wood
- Partha Pratim Dev, Venture Manager, Offshore Engineering Structure, Rosenex
Moderator
Sara Al Wehaibi, Digital Factoy Specialist, Operational Excellence, ADNOC
