The short version: Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk Design Studio, a browser-based environment for programming ControlLogix and CompactLogix controllers, includes a generative AI Copilot that writes PLC code from plain-English prompts, explains errors and reads live controller data. It is one of the clearest signs that AI is moving into controls engineering.
What the Copilot does
- Writes code from prompts. A controls engineer can ask for new PLC code in plain language and keep working without leaving the editor.
- Edits inline with approval. Suggested code appears in the editor with the changes highlighted, so the engineer approves each one.
- Reads live systems. Copilot can query online controllers to show live states and tag values.
- Explains errors. Rockwell’s 1.08 update added an “Ask Copilot” option that describes what an error means, its likely cause and a suggested fix, and made answers stream in real time.
Design Studio itself is cloud native, so there is nothing to install, and it supports multiple users working on one project. Rockwell has also described plans for Copilot to create test scripts and suggest fixes for failures.
Rockwell is not alone
Siemens introduced its Industrial Copilot for TIA Portal in 2024, and a 2026 review in the Hungarian Journal of Industry and Chemistry traced a wave of AI-assisted PLC tools since then. The same review found the field still early, with cautious adoption in plants, which makes sense when a bad line of ladder logic can stop a production line or hurt someone.
What changes in the day-to-day work
A controls engineer’s week is a mix of writing new logic, reusing routines from old projects, and chasing faults on the floor. AI copilots touch all three, but in different ways.
- Writing new logic. Drafting standard routines such as motor control, interlocks or sequence steps from a plain-English description saves time on boilerplate. The engineer reviews and approves each change rather than typing it.
- Reusing old code. Engineers often copy routines from past projects and rename tags by hand. An assistant that understands the project can speed that up and reduce missed renames.
- Troubleshooting. Reading live tag values and getting a plain-English explanation of an error can shorten the time to find a fault, especially for newer engineers or technicians on night shift.
- Collaboration. A cloud, multi-user environment means several engineers can work on one project at once, which changes how teams split up large jobs.
The risk is that code which looks right is not safe. Machine safety, interlocks and fault handling still need an engineer who understands the process and the hazards. Most plants will keep AI-drafted logic behind the same review and testing steps they use today, at least until the tools have a long track record.
Who should pay attention
System integrators, OEM machine builders, and plants standardized on Rockwell ControlLogix and CompactLogix controllers. Siemens shops will see the same trend through TIA Portal’s copilot, so the hiring advice below applies to them too.
Why plants are moving carefully
Software developers adopted AI coding assistants quickly because a bad suggestion usually means a failed test or a bug report. In a plant, a bad line of logic can damage equipment or hurt someone. That is why the 2026 review of AI-assisted PLC programming described the field as early, with exploratory research and cautious use.
Expect adoption to start with low-risk work: drafting documentation, explaining unfamiliar code, generating boilerplate routines and helping with diagnostics. Safety-related logic will stay under strict manual control. Over time, the tools that win will be the ones that make testing easier, since that is the step that lets engineers trust what the AI wrote.
What it means for hiring
AI can draft routines faster, but plants still need engineers who can tell whether the code is safe and correct before it touches equipment.
- Studio 5000 and Logix experience is still the core skill. Copilot works on top of it, not in place of it.
- Testing and commissioning discipline grows in value as more code is machine-drafted. Ask candidates how they validate logic before go-live.
- Engineers who already use version control and modern software practices will adapt fastest to cloud, multi-user tools.
Hiring automation talent? See our controls engineering recruiters page, or read is controls engineering a good career.
Interview questions for controls engineers
- If an AI tool drafts a routine for you, what do you check before it goes anywhere near a running machine?
- How do you test logic offline before commissioning? Which simulation or emulation tools have you used?
- Tell me about the hardest fault you tracked down on a live line and how you found it.
- How do you manage versions of PLC programs across a team?
Frequently asked questions
Can AI write PLC code?
Yes. Rockwell’s FactoryTalk Design Studio Copilot and Siemens’ Industrial Copilot can both generate PLC code from natural-language prompts. Engineers still review, test and approve the code before it runs on equipment.
Which controllers does FactoryTalk Design Studio support?
Rockwell describes Design Studio as starting with development for its ControlLogix and CompactLogix controllers.
Will AI replace controls engineers?
Unlikely. The tools speed up drafting and troubleshooting, but safety, process knowledge and commissioning still depend on experienced engineers. Plants are short on controls talent, and AI helps the engineers they have cover more ground.
More stories like this are on our AI for Engineers hub.
