AI in the field: co-pilot, not autopilot

This article examines AI deployment in field operations, arguing that autonomous agents work best alongside human judgment rather than replacing it. In high-variability, high-consequence work environments, the more valuable investment is AI that augments worker judgment rather than routes around it. The piece makes the case that the co-pilot model—where AI assists field workers rather than acting autonomously—is the right approach for inspection and data collection workflows.