(11c) AI and Process Safety -- Some Cautionary Observations

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a vogue topic in the press, and descriptions of its potential impact range from apocalyptic to salvational. Interest in the topic will no doubt stimulate the search for applications in support of both the technical and management systems aspects of process safety management. Within our industries, maintaining institutional memory and technical capability are made increasingly challenging by more frequent job movement among younger staff and the loss to retirement of more senior staff. One would hope that AI could help fill the gaps caused by these factors. However, the author’s sampling of AI capabilities, at this time, suggests the need for caution when trying to apply AI in the process safety realm. This paper provides some examples of errors and insufficiencies identified when seeking AI assistance in addressing process safety issues. It also suggests some existing challenges to “training” AI to better support the needs of the process safety community. It concludes that caution should be applied, especially by less experience personnel, when seeking AI assistance in addressing process safety-related technical matters.