The invention provides a method for predicting a length of each of a plurality of electrodes in a submerged arc furnace and for making an adjustment to the length of an electrode based on the length as predicted, which method includes the steps of: entering into a processor which runs a program which includes an artificial intelligence algorithm a dataset which includes a measurement of the length of each electrode ("the measured length") and information on one or more of the following which is associated with the measured length: the temperature of a hearth of the furnace, the temperature of a sidewall of a furnace, the electrical power supply to the electrodes, the rate at which the electrode moves through a holder of each electrode and the vertical position of the holder; entering into the processor data from one or more of the following: a first temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the hearth, a second temperature sensor for measuring the temperature in the sidewall a power measuring device for measuring the electrical power supply to the electrodes, a slip meter for measuring the rate at which the electrode moves through the holder, and a position sensor for measuring the vertical position of the holder; obtaining from the processor based on the dataset and the data an estimate of the length of each electrode ("the estimated length"); and adjusting the length of an electrode based on the estimated length of each electrode by changing the rate at which the electrode moves through the holder or by changing the vertical position of the holder.