Page 8: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2025)

Training Tips for Ships

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Practical AI in Training –

Unlocking the Potential of AI-Driven Agents

By Heather Combs, CEO, Ripple Operations he maritime industry thrives on innovation, yet arti? cial • Credential records: Mariners, certi? cations, intelligence (AI) often feels more like a distant buzz- expiration dates.

word than a practical tool. For those managing mariner • Training requirements: Speci? c to your vessels or

Ttraining, evaluating program effectiveness, or ensuring compliance standards.

compliance, the idea of leveraging AI can seem daunting—like it’s • Schedules: Duty rosters, training plans, and sailing times.

reserved for the tech giants of the world. But AI isn’t just for them. • Incident reports: Past onboard issues and

It’s here today, it’s accessible, and it can make your life easier. corresponding training gaps.

This month, I want to demystify AI-driven agents and show By doing this, you create a knowledgeable, task-oriented you how they can transform the way we train, manage, and assistant that works around the clock, helping you and your support our crews. With a bit of guidance, you can harness this team focus on strategic decisions.

technology to build an AI-powered assistant tailored to your organization’s speci? c needs. No tech expertise required— Asking the Right Questions just a willingness to experiment and adapt. Once your agent is up and running, its potential is only lim- ited by the questions you ask. Here are a few examples:

Building Your Own AI Agent: The Basics • Credential Management: “Which mariners have

The beauty of modern AI-driven tools lies in their simplic- critical training expiring in the next 90 days?” ity. Many platforms, like Microsoft Copilot Studio, Google • Training Gaps: “Identify missing sessions based

AI Studio, and Amazon Bedrock Studio to name a few, al- on our compliance requirements.” low you to create and deploy AI agents that are user-friendly • Incident Analysis: “Match recent incidents with and adaptable. These agents can help you automate repetitive corresponding training programs and suggest tasks, provide instant access to critical information, and even improvements.” assist in decision-making. • Safety Insights: “Analyze historical training data

Here’s what makes these tools so powerful: and recommend programs that lead to safer workplaces.” • Build: You can create agents with no-code, low-code, • Resource Planning: “Create a quarterly training or full-code options, depending on your comfort level. schedule, prioritizing expiring credentials.” • Connect: Link your agent to your organization’s These queries transform the agent into a problem-solving internal knowledge sources, like databases or partner, saving time and allowing your team to focus on deliv- documents, for enhanced functionality. ering meaningful outcomes.

• Deploy: Use the agent across platforms like Teams or Slack, integrating seamlessly into your work? ows. Practical AI for Maritime Training • Manage: Maintain control over your agent’s security AI-driven agents aren’t science ? ction—they’re practical, and compliance, ensuring it works within your accessible, and ready to make a difference. By connecting company’s policies. these tools with the data you already have, you can tackle challenges more ef? ciently, ensuring better training, compli-

Training Your AI Agent: A Practical Approach ance, and safety outcomes.

The phrase “training an AI” can sound intimidating, but it’s AI is still evolving, but its value as a trusted assistant in simpler than you might think. Essentially, you’re teaching the training management is clear. Like any tool, its effectiveness agent by providing it with curated, relevant data. This could depends on the data you provide and the logic you apply to its include static documents, spreadsheets, real-time databases, or insights. But with a thoughtful approach, AI-driven agents can any other structured information your organization relies on. become an indispensable part of your team.

For maritime training, imagine feeding your agent data like: Until next time, sail safely!

8 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • February 2025

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