Emerson, global industry experts in automation technology and software, has expanded NI™ Nigel™ AI across the NI LabVIEW+ Suite, adding prompt-based code generation in NI LabVIEW™ and automated test sequence generation in NI TestStand™. The new capabilities are designed to help engineers move from test design into validation more quickly while retaining control over AI-generated code, test sequences and deployment decisions.
Nigel AI has evolved from an engineering advisor into what Emerson describes as an AI author. Engineers can now enter prompts within LabVIEW to generate code and use Nigel AI in TestStand to create automated test sequences. Embedding these capabilities directly into established test environments is intended to reduce the manual effort associated with software development while giving engineers the opportunity to review, refine and validate the resulting output before it is deployed.
Based on Emerson’s internal benchmarking across representative engineering workflows, the new capabilities can reduce the time and effort required to develop and deploy test systems by up to 50 percent. The figure represents results from selected internal workflows rather than an independently verified improvement across every application. Actual productivity gains will depend on the test requirements, system complexity and engineering processes involved.
The expansion comes as engineering teams face growing pressure to validate increasingly complex products within shorter development cycles. Test systems may incorporate multiple instruments, software environments, data sources and regulatory requirements, making it more difficult to increase throughput without affecting test quality. Emerson is addressing this challenge by incorporating context-aware AI into the software environments engineers already use rather than requiring them to move test information into a separate, general-purpose AI tool.
Emerson has expanded NI Nigel AI across the LabVIEW+ Suite, adding AI-generated LabVIEW code and automated TestStand sequence creation for engineering test workflows.
Emerson introduced Nigel AI Advisor in July 2025 within LabVIEW and TestStand. The original implementation analyzed engineering code, recommended improvements and answered questions submitted through plain-language prompts. The latest expansion moves Nigel beyond advisory assistance by enabling it to generate LabVIEW code and TestStand sequences, while extending context-aware AI capabilities into additional LabVIEW+ Suite environments.
“In one year, Nigel has evolved from an AI advisor to AI author, showing the strength of the NI platform and its ability to integrate the most in-demand technologies quickly for the benefit of our customers,” said Ritu Favre, president of Emerson’s test and measurement business. “By enabling purpose-built AI to generate code and test sequences within workflows, we’re accelerating productivity while ensuring engineers remain in control of validation and decision-making.”
Nigel AI is now available across the broader NI LabVIEW+ Suite, bringing AI-assisted capabilities to NI InstrumentStudio™, NI FlexLogger™ and NI VeriStand™. The expanded implementation supports workflows spanning interactive measurements, sensor-based data acquisition and logging, automated test development, and real-time hardware-in-the-loop validation. Engineers can apply related AI capabilities throughout the test lifecycle, from early development and instrument configuration through system validation and deployment.
InstrumentStudio provides an interactive environment for configuring NI PXI instruments, performing measurements and debugging automated test systems. FlexLogger supports the configuration, acquisition, visualization and logging of electrical and sensor data, while VeriStand is used to configure and deploy real-time and hardware-in-the-loop test systems. TestStand provides a framework for developing, executing and deploying automated validation and production test sequences. Bringing Nigel AI into these environments gives engineering teams a more consistent approach to AI-assisted development across different stages of the testing process.
The software is purpose-built for structured engineering environments and uses information from modular instrumentation, open software systems, configurable workflows, engineering code and structured data. This engineering context is intended to help Nigel AI generate more relevant outputs based on the operating constraints and requirements of the test system.
Emerson said its approach incorporates security, governance, traceability and engineering oversight, with capabilities designed to support alignment with regulatory requirements such as the European Union Cyber Resilience Act. Engineers remain responsible for reviewing generated code, validating test sequences and approving final deployment, an important consideration for automotive, electronics, semiconductor, aerospace and defense applications where test reliability and documentation are critical.
The expanded Nigel AI capabilities form part of Emerson’s continued investment in more intelligent, software-defined test systems. By integrating AI directly into its core engineering software, the company aims to help organizations manage system complexity, accelerate development and scale automated validation workflows without removing engineers from critical review and decision-making processes. For more information, please click here.
About Emerson
Emerson is a global automation technology and software company serving industrial and commercial markets. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, the company provides intelligent devices, control systems, industrial software and test technologies designed to help customers improve operations and accelerate product and process innovation. Emerson’s test and measurement portfolio includes NI software, modular hardware and integrated systems used across semiconductor, electronics, transportation, aerospace, defense and academic research applications. For more information, please click here.
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Molly Bakewell Chamberlin is the Founder, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Components Source Network, a 100% woman- and disability-owned B2B publishing and expert marketplace platform serving the global high-tech manufacturing and engineering community. She is the architect, author and developer of the Network’s 11 specialized e-news sites and 11 peer-vetted expert e-marketplaces, including Sensors + Testing Monthly. With more than 25 years of experience in strategic technical marketing, public relations and business development, she is also the Founder and President of Embassy Global, LLC, which has supported more than 200 high-tech industry brands worldwide since 2008. Molly also serves pro bono as Second Vice Chair of the Government Team for the WBENC Forum and is a long-standing advocate for small business, supplier diversity, sustainability and women in STEM. Connect with Molly on LinkedIn.
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