The B-Hive Tech Review: How Digital Twins and AI Are Reshaping the future of business
By Stephen Breen, Lead Architect at ZeroMission
Welcome to this week’s B-Hive Tech Review where I unpack sharp, practical insights on technology, software architecture, and everything in between. This week, we’re deep-diving into the fascinating evolution of digital twins, their growing synergy with AI, and why big players are calling this the dawn of Industry 4.5.
Microsoft Fabric’s New Digital Twin Builder: A Game Changer?
One of the more exciting updates this week comes from Microsoft Fabric which has quietly rolled out a Digital Twin Builder in preview.
If you haven’t explored Fabric yet, think of it as Microsoft’s unified data analytics platform, handling everything from ETL to real-time analytics. Now, with a low-code Digital Twin Builder embedded, organisations can design, build, and manage digital twins inside their existing data ecosystem.
We’ve found Fabric to be a powerful backbone for orchestrating data pipelines at ZeroMission — so adding a twin capability inside the same toolchain is definitely something to keep an eye on.
Try it yourself: Explore Microsoft Fabric’s Digital Twin Builder
From Industry 4.0 to 4.5: What’s Different?
Leading voices like Siemens, the World Economic Forum, TCS, and Deloitte are now describing digital twins as the central intelligence layer that’s reshaping entire industries from advanced manufacturing and healthcare to urban infrastructure.
This push elevates the idea of Industry 4.0 (automation and data exchange) to a more connected, predictive era what they’re calling Industry 4.5.
The message is clear: the organisations that embrace this shift will run smarter factories, deliver more resilient services, and plan cities that adapt in real time.
Dig deeper: Read the Industry 4.5 insights
AI + Digital Twins: Smarter Together
I can’t wrap up without dropping the next buzzword: AI.
Digital twins reach their full potential when paired with advanced analytics and AI/ML. Once you’ve done the heavy lifting to build your twin and connect real-world data streams, it makes sense to let AI handle prediction, detection, and optimisation at scale.
A stat from the WEF article jumped out at me:
29% of companies use AI/ML at scale today.
24% have deployed generative AI at scale.
An additional 38% are piloting GenAI now.
In practice, this means moving from static digital replicas to autonomous systems that continuously learn, predict failures, detect defects early, and adapt plans on the fly. It’s a big leap forward for operational resilience.
The Takeaway
Digital twins are evolving fast and companies that invest in the right tools and AI integrations today will unlock smarter operations tomorrow. Whether you’re experimenting with Microsoft Fabric’s new builder or rethinking your whole data architecture, it’s worth considering how twins and AI can elevate your strategy in this so-called Industry 4.5 era.
Stay curious, keep testing, and let’s keep building smarter.
Got thoughts or questions? Drop me a message or let’s chat over at the next B-Hive!
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