・Daikin and Hitachi began trial operations of an AI system for factory equipment failure diagnostics in April 2025.
・The AI agent identifies failure causes and suggests fixes within 10 seconds with over 90% accuracy.
・It uses knowledge graphs and OT data to perform diagnostics on par with skilled technicians.
・Daikin plans to deploy it globally to standardize quality, transfer skills, and boost productivity.
・Hitachi will expand its use through Lumada solutions across various industries.
A groundbreaking leap toward zero equipment breakdowns in manufacturing
Tokyo & Osaka, Japan — April 22, 2025 – In a powerful collaboration set to transform global manufacturing, Daikin Industries, Ltd. and Hitachi, Ltd. have begun trial operations of an AI-powered agent that diagnoses equipment failures in factories. This cutting-edge tool is being tested at Daikin’s Sakai Plant-Rinkai Factory in Osaka and promises to deliver diagnostic results in under 10 seconds with over 90% accuracy.
The AI Agent: Fast, Smart, and Factory-Ready
Designed to support on-site maintenance technicians, the AI Agent for Equipment Failure Diagnostics combines decades of operational technology (OT) experience from both companies with Hitachi’s advanced IT and generative AI. When a technician encounters an equipment issue — say, a faulty valve or pump — the AI agent quickly identifies the cause and recommends the best course of action using a tablet device.
The secret behind this lightning-fast response lies in converting complex factory equipment drawings into knowledge graphs — readable by the AI — and feeding the system OT data, maintenance logs, and Hitachi’s unique failure analysis methodology based on STAMP (System Theoretic Accident Model and Processes).
The result? Diagnoses that match or exceed the accuracy of expert human technicians — all in seconds.
Why This Matters Now
The manufacturing sector faces a growing crisis: a shrinking workforce, skill gaps, and increasingly complex machinery. Daikin operates over 90 production sites across 28 countries and has struggled to keep pace with technician training, especially overseas. This AI initiative is a bold step toward bridging the skills gap, improving global maintenance standards, and reducing downtime.
From Japan to the World: Scaling Innovation
The trial will run through September 2025, after which Daikin aims to deploy the solution across all its global production bases. By doing so, it hopes to transform its frontline knowledge — much of it tacit — into sharable organizational wisdom, thereby ensuring consistent quality and operational excellence worldwide.
Hitachi, for its part, plans to expand the use of the AI agent beyond maintenance into broader manufacturing applications via its Lumada solutions. It also offers services to help other companies rapidly develop similar AI agents using OT knowledge, further empowering factory workers and boosting productivity.
The Bigger Picture: AI as a Factory Ally
This collaboration is part of a larger vision: a smart, self-evolving factory where equipment failures are rare, response times are lightning-fast, and every technician is empowered with AI-enhanced insight. From digital brazing processes to fluorochemical manufacturing, Daikin and Hitachi have long pushed the envelope — and this AI agent may be their most impactful move yet.
Bottom Line
With AI stepping in as a powerful ally to human technicians, factories of the future could operate smarter, faster, and more reliably than ever before. Daikin and Hitachi’s joint innovation isn’t just a technological milestone — it’s a promise of better manufacturing for a better world.