New Approach for Automated Explanation of Material Phenomena (AA6082) Using Artificial Neural Networks and ChatGPT

Artificial intelligence methods, especially artificial neural networks (ANNs), have increasingly been utilized for the mathematical description of physical phenomena in (metallic) material processing. Traditional methods often fall short in explaining the complex, real-world data observed in production. While ANN models, typically functioning as “black boxes”, improve production efficiency, a deeper understanding of the phenomena, akin to that provided by explicit mathematical formulas, could enhance this efficiency further. This article proposes a general framework that leverages ANNs (i.e., Conditional Average Estimator—CAE) to explain predicted results alongside their graphical presentation, marking a significant improvement over previous approaches and those relying on expert assessments. Unlike existing Explainable AI (XAI) methods, the proposed framework mimics the standard scientific methodology, utilizing minimal parameters for the mathematical representation of physical phenomena and their derivatives. Additionally, it analyzes the reliability and accuracy of the predictions using well-known statistical metrics, transitioning from deterministic to probabilistic descriptions for better handling of real-world phenomena. The proposed approach addresses both aleatory and epistemic uncertainties inherent in the data. The concept is demonstrated through the hot extrusion of aluminum alloy 6082, where CAE ANN models and predicts key parameters, and ChatGPT explains the results, enabling researchers and/or engineers to better understand the phenomena and outcomes obtained by ANNs.