Unlocking the power of decades of Rolls-Royce data through AI
Rolls-Royce, a global leader in aerospace engineering, has unlocked the power of decades of data through AI – transforming decision-making, productivity and customer outcomes. Together we have built AI for Rolls-Royce (AiRR), a groundbreaking, secure platform used to deliver a series of agentic generative AI applications.
As one of the most highly regulated and innovative sectors, the aerospace industry demands cutting-edge solutions to remain competitive. Recognising the transformative potential of AI to unlock insights from their decades of data archives, Rolls-Royce worked with Deloitte and Databricks to co-create the AiRR platform. AiRR is not only revolutionising how Rolls-Royce can access and use data but also setting a new benchmark for AI-driven solutions in regulated industries.
Navigating decades of knowledge
Rolls-Royce faced the challenge of distilling decades of complex structured and unstructured engineering data, in one of the world’s most heavily regulated industries. Manual searches across multiple systems could have led to delays and inefficiencies, so Rolls-Royce set out to create a smarter, more secure solution.
The ambition was to move beyond generic AI chat capabilities to highly secure, trustworthy, and auditable agentic solutions. The goal? To give employees quick, reliable access to information, streamline decision-making, and stay fully compliant with strict regulations. Ultimately transforming their operational landscape.
The system is built for growth, scaling to support up to 40,000 users and extending its potential across Rolls-Royce’s business functions. With reusable technology that powers future AI projects, the business is primed to unlock benefits across Engineering, Manufacturing, Aftermarket in addition to Back Office functions.
"AiRR has the potential to transform how we access and utilise our data, enabling our teams to make faster, smarter decisions while maintaining the highest standards of security and compliance. Deloitte's industry and technology expertise have been pivotal in helping us in delivery of our AIRR platform."
Kaveh Pourteymour, Chief Digital Information Officer, Rolls-Royce
AI-powered integration
AiRR is designed to integrate seamlessly with broader Rolls-Royce systems. Built on an agentic AI framework and designed for future scalability, it enables rapid integration with third-party systems, allowing advanced data analysis, visualisation, and decision-making.
Fast paced and collaborative, our approach was underpinned by:
- Rapid prototyping: In just six weeks, a working prototype was brought to life. This sparked excitement and drove meaningful conversation about the complete application requirements.
- Cutting-edge technology: The AiRR platform was built on early adoption of Databricks’ newest AI technologies. Working as one team, we delivered a game-changing agentic solution at the forefront of AI innovation.
- Trust and security: Unlike generic AI tools, AiRR has been designed to keep sensitive data safe. Only authorised users can access the AiRR platform and approved data, and every piece of information is traceable back to its source, meeting Rolls-Royce's rigorous governance standards.
- Insights on demand: Dynamic features like instant charts and insights make data more accessible and actionable for engineers. Reducing reliance on pre-built dashboards and enabling more dynamic, responsive analysis.
- Future-ready foundation: Built with growth in mind, the foundation of the AiRR platform has been designed as reusable building blocks that are powering new AI projects company-wide, creating a “build once, use many times” advantage. Designed to expand and integrate with third party systems seamlessly.
- Smart integration: AiRR isn’t just a stand-alone system, it uses emerging agentic connectivity standards to give easy integration with other applications. This has enabled quick adoption by applications such as Rolls-Royce’s maintenance planning tool. Simplifying how maintenance planners can run complex scenarios, allowing them to plan better and get engines back in service faster.
Driving efficiency and customer value
AiRR is a powerful platform, enabling smarter and faster ways of working across the business. The platform underpins agentic transformation across Rolls-Royce's business, facilitating long-term service planning and operational efficiency. Agentic solutions developed so far, include AiRR Assist, a data enabled application that gives instant insights straight from Rolls-Royce’s Data Platform - the home of their data.
By streamlining access to information, AiRR is supercharging productivity, enabling employees to find critical insights faster and make more informed decisions. Engineers can now focus on solving complex problems rather than wasting time searching for data. Dynamic tools like instant analytics and charts make answering complex queries quick and reliable, with decisions backed by traceable information.
By combining Deloitte’s AI and industry expertise with Databricks’ advanced technology, Rolls-Royce has completely reimagined how it accesses and uses its data to drive efficiency, better decision-making, and exceptional customer outcomes. AiRR isn’t just a product - it’s a catalyst for innovation and a launchpad for future advancements, strengthening Rolls-Royce’s leadership in the fast-evolving world of aerospace engineering.
"The development of AiRR demonstrates what’s possible when we collaborate with our clients to deliver transformative AI solutions. By surfacing Rolls-Royce's rich legacy of engineering excellence using the power of advanced technology and AI innovation, we've unlocked unprecedented insights that drive agility, compliance, and measurable business value at an extraordinary scale."
Paul Mordue, Engineering AI Data Lead, Deloitte
