Innovating with AI in the special chemicals industry

Lubrizol VP of IT Girish Rao describes how the specialty chemicals manufacturer is building a digital foundation linking business processes, modern data platforms and cloud infrastructure to help R&D teams test ideas faster and develop more sustainable materials. Rao says data scientists can identify patterns and model possibilities before physical experiments, but the aim is "not about replacing scientific judgment," and the company uses "fusion teams" of scientists, data scientists and IT staff that start with small pilots to build trust. He expects AI, automation, advanced modeling, digital twins and connected data to converge as laboratories and plants become more intelligent.