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As the capabilities of artificial intelligence continue to evolve, the distinction between vertical AI agents and general AI systems is becoming increasingly significant—especially in the context of manufacturing ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems. Vertical AI agents are specialized for specific industries like manufacturing, distribution, and retail, while general AI systems like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are designed to handle a wide range of tasks without this industry-specific knowledge.
Epicor Prism is a network of vertical AI agents tailored to meet the unique needs of discrete industries. For instance, the agents developed for Epicor Kinetic in manufacturing are distinct from those being built for Epicor Prophet 21 in distribution. This specialization allows vertical AI agents to leverage industry-specific knowledge and data structures, providing more relevant and accurate insights.
In contrast, general AI systems lack awareness of specific ERP system data and proprietary information. They can only process the information provided to them in the chat window, limiting their ability to offer tailored solutions. Epicor Prism, on the other hand, integrates over 30 years of experience in manufacturing ERP systems, incorporating both standard data structures and customizations made by users. This deep integration helps ensure that Prism can provide contextually relevant responses and insights.
Epicor Prism, launched in January 2025, has been designed to seamlessly integrate with existing manufacturing ERP systems. It offers various agents to assist with tasks in Kinetic, such as answering help questions, analyzing graphs and charts, and retrieving data using natural language queries. This integration allows users to save time and improve efficiency by accessing information quickly and easily.
One of the key features of Prism is its ability to interact with Epicor ECM (Enterprise Content Management). Users can retrieve data from stored documents without navigating through ECM, simply by asking Prism. Future developments will introduce automation for bulk actions and integration with ERP development tools, enabling users to create dashboards, saved queries, and more.
The vertical AI agents in Prism significantly optimize design processes for engineers. By understanding and processing information requests quickly, Prism saves engineers from manually searching through various data sources. This capability accelerates the design process and allows engineers to focus on more critical tasks.
For example, one customer requested an agent that could semantically search product images and specifications in Kinetic. This agent would help engineers find similar examples to customer requests, shortening lead times for build-to-order scenarios, speeding up quotes, and improving the speed of product shipments. This use case is currently under development, showing the potential for vertical AI agents to address specific industry challenges.
Prism enhances data analysis and decision-making processes for design engineers by providing quick access to dashboards, tables, and other data representations. Engineers can retrieve information without writing complex queries or navigating through multiple filters, saving valuable time. As Prism continues to evolve, it will offer more advanced analysis capabilities and triggered actions, further streamlining the decision-making process.
Vertical AI agents will also play a crucial role in facilitating a feedback loop from manufacturing outcomes back to design engineers. By working with customers, Epicor is developing a series of agents that auto-tune various systems in Kinetic, including MRP (Material Requirements Planning). These agents use historical data from the supply chain and facility operations to inform recommended inputs to MRP, helping ensure that plans are consistently accurate and useful.
When real-life data is integrated into MRP parameters, the resulting plans drive important metrics like inventory turns, leading to continuous improvement in manufacturing processes. This feedback loop gives design engineers the timely and relevant information they need to refine their designs and optimize production.
Vertical AI agents like Epicor Prism represent a significant advancement in the integration of AI with manufacturing ERP systems. By leveraging industry-specific knowledge and data, these agents provide tailored solutions that improve the user experience, simplify access to information that enhances efficiency, optimize design processes, and facilitate continuous improvement. As AI technology continues to evolve, the role of vertical AI agents in manufacturing will become increasingly vital, driving innovation and productivity in the industry.
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