The role of AI in next-generation manufacturing

A typical day in the life of a shopfloor employee

Imagine a shopfloor worker in the automotive industry.

Every day brings new challenges: scattered data across systems, manual handovers,
repeated simulation runs, and complex, error-prone production planning. The pressure to
deliver more output with fewer employees per car is ever-present, while the industry faces
major shifts -> software-defined vehicles, electrification, sustainability requirements, and
global supply chain complexity.
With Siemens Digital Thread Agents, Industrial Copilots, and integrated workflows, these
hurdles are transformed: repetitive tasks are automated, production and logistics are
orchestrated in real time, and people can focus on innovation instead of manual firefighting.

Turning daily challenges into value

Siemens empowers automotive OEMs and suppliers with solutions that address
real shopfloor pain points and strategic objectives.

New manufacturing technologies:
Modular concepts and technology cells make production flexible and scalable. Existing
systems are upgraded with AI and DC power for greater efficiency and sustainability.
Siemens connects brownfield and greenfield assets, unlocking past investments for future
growth, without disruptive overhauls.

AI on the shopfloor:
Agentic AI enables autonomous decisions in engineering, production, and logistics. Industrial
Copilots and software-defined automation unify PLC, SCADA, and HMI for agile control.
Automated workflows boost efficiency, quality, and free up time for innovation.

Data-driven production:
Siemens orchestrates and analyzes data across silos to deliver actionable insights, reducing
rework and warranty costs. Low-code AI tools and digital twins empower shopfloor teams,
while our AI Fabric framework makes “dark data” usable and scales innovation securely.

Key values delivered:

• Flexibility & scalability in production through modular technology cells
• Minimal disruption & maximized ROI via brownfield/greenfield integration
• Higher efficiency & quality assurance with agentic AI and Industrial Copilots
• More time for innovation thanks to automated, software-defined workflows
• Actionable insights that cut rework and warranty costs
• Empowered shopfloor teams using low-code AI and digital twins
• Secure, scalable data use with AI Fabric as the operational backbone

Industry voices:

There was a world before electricity; today electricity is ubiquitous. There was a world before AI, right now we are transitioning to a world that makes full use of it – including in factories, buildings, grids, and transportation. Siemens is the global leader in industrial AI – AI for the real world – bringing intelligence to every machine, every device and every piece of infrastructure. We have the data, the domain know-how, and the trust of our customers and partners with whom we are scaling industrial AI.

Roland Busch
Siemens AG CEO

Conclusion: a specific path forward for Germany’s auto industry

By leveraging artificial intelligence, modular production technologies, and
Siemens’ expertise in integrating new and existing assets, automotive companies can
overcome these hurdles and enable manufacturers to unlock the full value of their data,
assets, and workforce for a more agile and sustainable future.

Greater efficiency & quality:
Artificial intelligence automates routine tasks, optimizes planning, and enables autonomous
decision-making—resulting in faster processes and improved product quality.

Flexibility & sustainable growth:
Siemens connects existing (brownfield) and new (greenfield) assets, integrates modular
production technologies and DC power, allowing scalable, future-proof manufacturing
without disruptive overhauls.

Empowered teams & data-driven insights:
Shopfloor teams gain actionable insights through orchestrated data, low-code AI tools, and
digital twins—reducing rework, lowering warranty costs, and fostering continuous
innovation.