The AI Frontier in Factories
Siemens battles Big Tech for factory AI supremacy. A new Siemens factory in Fort Worth, Texas, uses artificial intelligence. This plant makes large switchboards for data centers. Demand for switchboards is surging. AI foundation models drive this new demand. Siemens wants to provide AI infrastructure.
Siemens' Industrial AI Model
Earlier this year, Siemens announced its own foundation model. This model focuses on industry applications. This pits Siemens against Google and Nvidia. These companies spend billions on AI. Their models could fine-tune for industrial use. Fine-tuning cuts out clutter and bad information. This makes models safe for factories.
Industry Knowledge: Siemens' Edge
Siemens’ selling point is industry knowledge. The German company makes robots and gas turbines. It also has software expertise. Two decades ago, Siemens added more software. Honeywell and Emerson did too. Siemens needs customers to contribute data. This data will train their foundation model.
Prioritizing Industrial Safety
Siemens is quiet about model creation. The pitch to customers focuses on industrial needs. It emphasizes engineering know-how. Operations safety and data security are key. Siemens' webpage invites industrial customers. It states AI must understand engineering. This takes industrial AI to the next level.
Accuracy Versus Errors
Established AI companies revolutionize office tasks. OpenAI and Anthropic are examples. They do research and take notes. Coding and customer orders are also common. Tolerance for errors is higher in offices. Factory floor mistakes are unacceptable.
Industry vs. Big Tech Showdown
Will tech companies dominate industrial AI? Or will industrial companies with software triumph? Deeper manufacturing knowledge is important. This dynamic could play out elsewhere. Consider legal or transportation sectors. A similar showdown happened in trucking. Digital freight brokers emerged from Silicon Valley. Established brokers adopted the tech. Digital-only brokers largely failed.
Collaborations and Safety
AI competition is not black-and-white. Many partnerships are forming now. Microsoft partners with Siemens and Honeywell. Siemens partners with Nvidia. Siemens also uses Microsoft’s Azure platform. Manufacturing prioritizes safety first. Interrupting production is bad for business. Siemens introduces this technology carefully.
Smart Factory Operations
A digital twin helped engineers. It optimized material flow at Fort Worth. Sheet metal, copper, and wires are optimized. The digital twin monitors operations in real time. It uncovers bottlenecks and allows remote monitoring. QR codes match materials. They pair with 35 different designs. Siemens works on autonomous carts. Assembly procedures are on computer screens. Workers do not need to memorize designs. They don't fumble through blueprints.
Automating Quality Control
Engineers test a robotic arm in a lab. An attached camera inspects subassemblies. Siemens plans automated impact drivers. These tighten bolts to exact torque. Humans now do this by hand. Siemens’ AI captures machine data. It flags problems if a machine underperforms. Modern factories generate much data. Siemens seeks to collect this data. It also provides AI services to industry.
Empowering the Workforce
AI is a powerful tool. It helps workers be more efficient. Siemens simplified assembly jobs. Workers hit the factory floor quickly. They need about three weeks of training. Over 500 workers are at Fort Worth. More than a quarter had no manufacturing experience.
AI Boundaries are Crucial
Robots become more common. Limiting AI capabilities is vital. Boundaries and restrictions keep AI safe. This ensures safe operation around humans. An "off-the-rails" office AI is acceptable. Factory floor mistakes are unacceptable. This gives Siemens an upper hand in industrial AI.