Manufacturers eagerly anticipate the advancements in artificial intelligence to be applied in their factories, envisioning using robots to repair and maintain intricate machinery.
There has been an explosion of interest in using AI across many sectors since the launch last year of chatbot ChatGPT from U.S. startup OpenAI.
And at last week's Hanover Fair on industrial technology in Germany, the potential for artificial intelligence in the manufacturing sector was firmly in focus.
Via the tablet in his hands, a young employee of American IT services provider HPE chatted with an AI-equipped virtual assistant, asking it to operate a robot's arm.
To solve a technical problem, "factory workers no longer need to get a qualified expert on site: the artificial intelligence takes charge" of guiding the repairs, said Thomas Meier, a data analyst from HPE presenting the prototype.
The U.S. firm, which has some 60,000 employees, has been working for the past year with Aleph Alpha, a German startup with some 50 staff, seen as one of OpenAI's leading European rivals.
The innovation communicates with factory workers who can, for example, send a photo of a machine for the program to detect any problems or check that it is correctly installed.
Aleph Alpha's resources are modest compared to those available to OpenAI, which has received major financing from Microsoft.
But the German startup believes it has at least one major advantage – it will keep customer data in Europe.
But Aleph Alpha CEO Jonas Andrulis told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Europe's contribution to the AI revolution must go "beyond regulation."
At another stand at the Hanover fair, Siemens was also exhibiting an application to improve factory performance.
In partnership with Microsoft, the German industrial conglomerate plans to bring out a new version of the Teams messaging platform this year.
It will feature ChatGPT and be specifically designed to help workers and spot product defaults.
Microsoft and Siemens, who say they are working with many clients in the automotive and aerospace industries, rejected the accusation that AI will lead to job losses.
Anthony Hemmelgarn, CEO of Siemens Digital Industries Software, said that 70% of issues were not being recorded and that AI was "not replacing anybody," as specific tasks were not getting done.
"It's all about increasing efficiency," he added.
Another advantage that AI could bring is "alleviating the shortage of skilled workers," particularly in Germany, said Jochen Koeckler, head of the Hanover fair organizers.
In Europe's biggest economy, almost 58% of manufacturers complain of workforce shortages, according to a study by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training published in December.
For Andrulis, AI will undoubtedly lead to massive upheavals in the world of work.
But he also sought to offer assurances. "It's not like AI will take your job. But the company using AI will take the market share of the company that doesn't."
