In recent years, digitization has had an unprecedented impact on nearly every aspect of our lives and society. In particular, the combination of artificial intelligence (AI), automation and robotics has brought about enormous changes in the world of work and the production landscape. In this blog post, we take a look at the future of work and sustainable production enabled by these technologies.
What does the future of work look like?
Will the robots take over? Certainly not, as is already evident today in many applications and sectors around the globe.
The rapid development of AI has already led to a wave of automation in which many repetitive and time-consuming tasks can be taken over by machines and algorithms. This allows humans to focus on complex and creative tasks that require human intelligence and emotional skills. In the future, AI will play an even greater role by supporting decision-making processes and solving complex problems.
One area that will benefit from this change is care. AI and robots or cobots (collaborative robots) are playing an increasingly important role here. They offer innovative solutions to meet the need for caregivers, improve the quality of care and increase the efficiency of processes. The technological developments are intended to relieve caregivers, give them more time for personal care and improve care overall.
New opportunities are also opening up in the healthcare industry. AI can help diagnose and treat diseases by analyzing large volumes of medical data and supporting doctors in decision-making. This leads to more efficient and accurate medical care.
Cooperation between humans and machines has long since established itself as a successful model, and the trend is rising. This is because robots are becoming easier and easier to operate, which makes them increasingly attractive for SMEs and completely new fields of application.
Sustainable production through automation and robotics
And this is what the new world looks like: Machine components automatically detect and report wear and irregularities. Robots and systems optimize their mode of operation independently. And in the final stage of development, products will find their own optimal path through production. This also makes significantly more cost-effective automated production of small batches up to batch size 1 possible.
Automation and robotics also play a crucial role in transforming the production landscape toward greater sustainability. By using intelligent robots, work processes can be optimized, energy efficiency increased and resources better utilized.
One example is the use of smart sensors in production to monitor and optimize energy consumption. By analyzing data, bottlenecks can be identified and energy efficiency measures can be taken to minimize resource consumption.
However, the benefits of automation and robotics go beyond efficiency gains. Using robots in hazardous or unhealthy environments can improve occupational safety and protect workers from potential risks and exposures.
Basic prerequisite: powerful IT structures
The collection, evaluation and intelligent linking of all data from digital production alone can lead to enormous increases in output through appropriate optimization. This requires suitable IT infrastructures. Due to the very large volumes of data, edge computing and cloud computing offer useful solutions here.
Conclusion
In the industrial environment – and not only there – the work of the future will be considerably more multifaceted, more entertaining and less physically demanding. In addition, end-to-end digitally networked manufacturing structures and AI-optimized processes can help to counteract the shortage of skilled workers and accelerate the relocation of production from low-wage countries back to Europe, which has already begun. This reshoring, which is favored above all by decreasing labor cost effects thanks to high levels of automation, reduces dependencies and, in addition to reliable supply chains, also creates new jobs.
Digitalization has the potential to transform our working world and production landscape for good. Through the intelligent use of AI, automation and robotics, we can shape a future in which people and technology work hand in hand to create more efficient, creative and sustainable solutions.
Our portfolio companies in the areas of digitalization & AI, automation and robotics
Quelle Titelbild: ThisIsEngineering on Pexels