Anticipating the Future: Octave's Vision for Resilient Infrastructure

Anticipating the Future: Octave's Vision for Resilient Infrastructure

At the recent Hexagon LIVE global leadership event, Mattias Stenberg, the new leader of Octave, delivered a keynote that challenged the status quo of critical infrastructure management. Stenberg, known for his tenure as president of Hexagon’s Asset Lifecycle Intelligence division, presented a compelling vision: to build systems that don’t break by integrating real-time, context-aware intelligence.

A Shift in Mindset: From Reaction to Anticipation

The core of Octave's approach is a paradigm shift from reactive to proactive management. Stenberg emphasized that traditional systems are built to break, and the data to prevent these failures often exists but is not utilized effectively. Octave aims to turn this data into foresight, embedding intelligence into the systems that keep our society running.

Key sectors impacted include:

1. Power Grids: Real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance to prevent outages.
2. Manufacturing Systems: Context-aware AI to optimize production and reduce downtime.
3. Highways and Transportation: Intelligent traffic management to enhance safety and efficiency.
4. Water Networks: Early detection of leaks and contamination to ensure clean water supply.
5. Emergency Operations Centers: Advanced analytics to improve response times and resource allocation.

The Problem: Everything Breaks

Stenberg highlighted several high-profile failures to underscore the urgency of this shift:

• The Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse**: A structural failure that could have been prevented with early detection.
• The Deepwater Horizon Disaster**: Caused by system blind spots and poor integration between safety layers.

In each case, the data existed, but the systems lacked the intelligence to interpret early signals. Octave’s vision is to change this by embedding AI directly into physical systems, creating a network of intelligent agents that can detect issues, adapt, and respond long before human operators are aware of a problem.

The Digital Transformation Disconnect

To illustrate the need for a new approach, Stenberg shared data from a recent C-suite survey conducted by Hexagon’s Asset Lifecycle Intelligence division:

• Only 1 in 5 companies** say they are realizing the full value of their digital transformation investments.
• 76% report** using more tools and dashboards than ever, but feel less aligned and less in control.
• One executive summed it up**: “More dashboards. More complexity. Less actual visibility.”

This disconnect highlights a crucial point: digital transformation alone is not enough. It must be managed carefully to avoid adding noise and creating silos. Octave’s solution is to cut the clutter, connect what matters, and turn data into actionable insights.

AI: Less Hype, More Usefulness

While AI holds enormous potential, many existing systems are untrained, detached from operations, and built in isolation. Octave takes a different path. Its AI agents are trained for specific environments, tied into operational systems, and continuously learning. These aren’t just showpieces; they are active participants in system behavior, helping machines and humans respond to signals in real time.

The Mirror World: A Living, Learning Model

The concept of a digital twin has gained traction across industries, but many of these twins are static visualizations with little predictive value. Octave redefines the concept with the Mirror World, a living, learning model of a physical system. This model is constantly updated, deeply embedded, and able to act. The goal is to spot patterns early, detect small signals before they become big problems, and support decisions that prevent, not just mitigate, failure.

Voices from the Field: What Must Not Break

Stenberg’s keynote also featured a panel of customers who shared their perspectives on resilience and visibility. Each participant brought a unique insight, but all emphasized the importance of proactive management. One executive from a major manufacturing company noted, “We can’t afford to have our production lines down. Every minute of downtime is a loss in revenue.”

The Bottom Line

Octave’s innovative approach to infrastructure intelligence promises to transform how we manage critical systems. By integrating real-time data and embedded AI, it aims to build systems that don’t break, ensuring greater resilience and reliability in a world where failure is not an option.