ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TO ADVANCE INDUSTRIAL INTELLIGENCE THROUGH EDGE-BASED GENERATIVE AI WITH NVIDIA NEMOTRON

Rhea-AI Summary

Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK) announced integration of NVIDIA Nemotron Nano (Nemotron-Nano-9B-v2) with FactoryTalk Design Studio on Nov 13, 2025, delivering an edge-based generative AI capability tuned for industrial workflows.

The solution is designed to run on HMI panels, appliances, desktop IDEs, servers and private clouds, and supports edge and air-gapped deployments for offline, low‑power environments. Rockwell will demonstrate the technology at Automation Fair, Nov 17–20, 2025.

Positive

• Fine-tuned Nemotron-Nano-9B for FactoryTalk workflows (announced Nov 13, 2025)
• Edge and air-gapped deployment support for offline industrial operations
• Operable on HMI panels, appliances, desktop IDEs and private clouds
• Showcase scheduled at Automation Fair Nov 17–20, 2025

Negative

• None.

Insights

Industrial AI analyst

Rockwell integrates NVIDIA Nemotron Nano to run generative AI at the industrial edge, enabling offline, air-gapped deployment.

Rockwell Automation is embedding the open-source NVIDIA Nemotron Nano model into FactoryTalk Design Studio, fine-tuning it with FactoryTalk data to deliver on‑device generative AI for design, production and maintenance workflows. The announcement states the SLM can run on HMI panels, appliances, desktops, servers and private clouds and supports edge and air‑gapped deployments, which directly targets use cases requiring instant responsiveness and data security.

The capability depends on successful fine‑tuning, model performance in real industrial workloads, and integration quality with existing FactoryTalk workflows; those factors determine repeatable reliability and operator trust. The release notes improved reasoning and responsiveness in early evaluations but provides no quantitative metrics or independent validation, so operational performance and safety behavior remain unverified in this content.

Watch near term demonstrations at Automation Fair on Nov 17-20, 2025 and statements about measured latency, power usage, and security controls; those metrics will validate edge suitability. Also monitor any published benchmarks or deployment case studies over the next 3–12 months to judge enterprise readiness and scalability.

Purpose-built AI model delivers instant insights and control for industrial teams, on the edge, offline and everywhere work happens

MILWAUKEE, Nov. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), one of the world's largest companies dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today announced a breakthrough in bringing generative AI directly to the industrial edge. Rockwell is introducing its integration of NVIDIA Nemotron Nano, a purpose-built small language model (SLM) optimized for FactoryTalk® Design Studio™ and other Rockwell product workflows, marking a major step in real-time intelligence for industrial teams.

In collaboration with NVIDIA, Rockwell is leveraging the open-source Nemotron-Nano-9B-v2 model and NVIDIA NeMo to deliver an edge-based generative AI capability designed specifically for industrial environments. Nemotron Nano distillation techniques provide the foundation for an SLM that can run in edge environments with less space and power than a traditional data center. By fine-tuning the model with data used by FactoryTalk Design Studio Copilot, Rockwell is creating a solution that demonstrates new potential for industrial automation professionals.

Built for use across design, development, production and maintenance workflows, the model operates seamlessly on HMI panels, appliances, desktop IDEs and server or private cloud environments. It supports both edge and air-gapped deployments, offering improved reasoning, predictability and responsiveness compared to other SLMs.

Early evaluations show the step change value of this model having new reasoning, parallel processing and key performance breakthroughs that enable it to stand out in the SLM space. Results highlight the model's strong fit for industrial edge scenarios where instant responsiveness, data security and offline operation are essential. 

"Industrial automation demands AI that works reliably at the edge and in secure environments," said Tony Carrara, FactoryTalk Design Studio business manager, Rockwell Automation. "By fine-tuning the open NVIDIA Nemotron model with FactoryTalk Design Studio data, we're creating solutions that can be deployed anywhere to help our customers accelerate workflows without compromising predictability or control."

"Small language models like NVIDIA Nemotron Nano bring real-time intelligence to where decisions are made—from factory floors to power grids," said Joey Conway, senior director, generative AI software for enterprise, NVIDIA. "With NVIDIA Nemotron Nano, enterprises using Rockwell FactoryTalk Design Studio can deploy AI in environments with limited space and power, extending AI from data centers into the heart of real-world operations."

The innovation will be showcased at Automation Fair 2025, taking place November 17-20 in Chicago, where Rockwell will demonstrate how edge-based generative AI is reshaping the future of industrial operations.

About Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 26,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries as of fiscal year end 2025. To learn more about how we are bringing Connected Enterprise® to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com

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SOURCE Rockwell Automation, Inc.

FAQ

What did Rockwell announce on Nov 13, 2025 about generative AI for ROK?

Rockwell announced integration of NVIDIA Nemotron Nano (Nemotron-Nano-9B-v2) fine-tuned for FactoryTalk Design Studio to run at the industrial edge.

How will the new Nemotron Nano capability affect ROK product deployments?

The capability is designed to run on HMI panels, appliances, desktop IDEs, servers and private clouds, supporting edge and air-gapped deployments.

Can ROK customers use the Nemotron Nano model offline or in secure environments?

Yes. The announcement states the model supports offline and air-gapped edge deployments for secure operations.

When and where will Rockwell demonstrate the edge AI integration for ROK?

Rockwell will demonstrate the edge-based generative AI at Automation Fair, Nov 17–20, 2025 in Chicago.

Which NVIDIA model did Rockwell integrate with FactoryTalk for ROK?

Rockwell integrated the open-source Nemotron-Nano-9B-v2 model using NVIDIA NeMo.

What benefits did Rockwell cite for the Nemotron Nano integration for ROK customers?

Rockwell cited improved reasoning, predictability and responsiveness tailored to industrial edge scenarios.