Honeywell launches Experion Cognition, an AI control system for industrial plants that can anticipate operational problems minutes in advance and help offset a shortage of experienced operators.

What happened: Honeywell announced Experion Cognition, an AI-powered control system platform designed to enable autonomous operations in industrial facilities. The system integrates artificial intelligence with process automation to provide automated recommendations and execute decisions that improve plant performance and safety. During pilot tests, the platform successfully anticipated incidents an average of five to ten minutes in advance of alarms, and Borouge International demonstrated the technology as the first AI-driven autonomous operations application in the petrochemical industry.

Why it matters: The process industry faces a significant challenge as experienced operators retire and their knowledge leaves with them. Experion Cognition's autonomous agents can handle cognitive tasks in managing operational situations, allowing less experienced staff to perform at knowledge levels comparable to veteran operators. This addresses a growing shortage of highly skilled personnel while reducing dependence on individual expertise and increasing consistency across complex industrial facilities.

What to watch: Experion Cognition will be commercially available during the third quarter of 2026 and can be integrated with existing control systems in petrochemicals, refining, energy, manufacturing, and other process industries without requiring significant modifications to installed infrastructure.