(Rockwell: Milwaukee) -- Rockwell Automation, one of the world’s largest companies dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, has announced a breakthrough in bringing generative AI directly to the industrial edge. Rockwell introduces 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 creates a solution with new potential for industrial automation professionals.

Built for use in 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,” says 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.”

Joey Conway, senior director, generative AI software for enterprise at NVIDIA, says, “Small language models like NVIDIA Nemotron Nano bring real-time intelligence to where decisions are made, from factory floors to power grids. 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 was showcased at Automation Fair 2025, Nov. 17–20, 2025, in Chicago, where Rockwell demonstrated how edge-based generative AI is reshaping the future of industrial operations.