From Factory Floors to Digital Lives: The Automation Divide That AI Finally Bridges
For years, I’ve had a professional split personality.
On one side, there’s my career in industrial automation—the world of PLCs, SCADA systems, and physical machinery. It’s precise, safety-critical, and operates in the deep, unsexy trenches of manufacturing and infrastructure.
On the other, I’ve been pioneering digital life support systems for individual professionals—integrating software, automating workflows, and building the “digital brain” that helps you thrive. This is where I’ve been focused on my own growth and my TechHappy community.
And for a long time, I intentionally kept those two worlds separate. Specifically, I kept my digital life off of LinkedIn.
The Cannibalization Fear Was Real
The truth is, I was worried about confusing my professional identity.
In the old paradigm, “Industrial Automation Expert” and “Digital Workflow Leader” felt like two distinct specialisations.
My fear was simple: If I was consulting on a critical, industrial control system, would the client be distracted—or even concerned—by my passion for using emerging tech to automate an individual’s email workflow or task list?
The industrial world, steeped in rigour and legacy, prioritises reliability and focus. I didn’t want my digital enthusiasm to suggest I was somehow less committed to the hard-won expertise of the factory floor.
The Bridge is Built: How AI and LLMs Changed Everything
Today, that separation is not just unnecessary; it’s a monumental mistake. And the reason is simple: Large Language Models (LLMs) and the explosion of generative AI.
The mass public, and crucially, the modern professional, now has a profound, intuitive understanding of what I’ve known for years: Automation is not a niche. It’s a fundamental force in every single corner of life and work.
When you see an LLM instantly generate a draft, analyse a massive dataset, or manage customer service, you are seeing a highly advanced form of automation. And you finally get it:
- Industrial Automation is about automating physical processes (the machine’s lifecycle, the energy grid).
- Digital Life Support Systems are about automating information processes (the email, the data analysis, the report generation, the calendar sync, the backups, the password managers…).
Both are driven by the same core principles: Input, Logic, Output, and Optimization.
My Decision: To Step Into the Full Light
My industrial background is no longer a liability in the digital sphere; it’s my superpower.
I’ve spent years deploying automation where a single mistake can cost millions or shut down a town. This background instills a uniquely realistic perspective on LLMs and AI for your daily life:
- I see the potential for magic, but I also see the non-negotiable need for guardrails, testing, and realistic integration plans so your personal system doesn’t crash on a Tuesday morning.
- I understand the difference between ‘It works for a toy demo’ and ‘It reliably runs your whole working week.’
This is why I’m now actively engaging on LinkedIn. It is the perfect place to merge my two profiles and lead the conversation on what I call Competent, Realistic Daily Automation.
My mission is to help you, the individual professional, move beyond the hype and integrate LLMs into your daily professional life with the same rigour and reliability you would expect from a trusted machine.
Ready to Find Your 2 Hours Back?
This isn’t about broadcasting; it’s about building your personal system.
If you’re a professional who wants to use LLMs to automate daily tasks—but you refuse to sacrifice stability for flash—then we need to connect.
My first challenge to you: Stop thinking about AI as a separate tool. Start thinking about it as a new kind of logic engine ready to be integrated into your existing workflows.
What is one manual, data-heavy task you are spending 1+ hours a week on right now?
- Could an LLM-powered script or tool manage the initial draft or data synthesis?
Share your answer in the comments. I’ll personally respond to the most common challenges and suggest a realistic automation starting point—not a pipe dream.
And if you’re ready to implement that change right away, my most valuable service is ready for you:
⭐ The 2-Hour Digital Review: Let’s sit down, audit your most time-consuming digital workflows, and build an immediate, practical automation plan based on industrial rigour. It’s time to stop fiddling and start automating.