Industrial app development not just for programmers
AI has brought a host of benefits to industrial machinery. From patching up skill gaps to getting operating costs under control, AI-powered solutions have helped manufacturers reap the benefits of more efficient and optimized processes. One of AI’s least spoken about advantages is its ability to democratize app development and enable more than just programmers to create software through Mendix.
In the fifth episode of industrial machinery and AI series in Siemens’ Digital Transformation podcast, simplifying app development and AI integration was discussed. Host Chris Pennington, global industry marketing leader for industrial machinery, along with Rahul Garg, Vice President for industrial machinery vertical software strategy, spoke with Subba Rao, Director, Manufacturing Industries Cloud, Siemens Digital Industry Software on the role of AI and digital transformation in industrial machinery. Their conversation focused on the part Mendix plays in integrating emerging AI solutions such as generative and agentic.
Mendix, the AI-powered app development tool
Historically, most software development is done with coding that relies on deep knowledge of programming languages. Mendix abstracts the development process, using visual drag-and-drop elements to streamline the app building process. And now with the evolution of new AI capabilities, Mendix’s AI-enabled assistance makes building industrial apps even easier.
Mendix with AI provides real-time assistance during app development, offering recommendations and next-step logic and enables creation of smart applications by embedding machine learning models and data science outputs. When combined with Mendix’s visual development methods, AI further accelerates development and deployment. Through these processes, AI-infused Mendix democratizes software development, putting it in the hands of domain experts without advanced programming skills and making development 6-10 times faster than traditional programming.
And Siemens’ commitment to bring AI to the industrial sphere doesn’t stop there.
AI for industrial machinery
Over the last year, industrial machinery has leveraged generative AI with great efficacy. And with the rise of agentic AI, the industry is likely to see more benefits reaped from AI. But what is the difference between generative AI and agentic AI?
While generative AI creates content based on prompts, agentic AI behaves proactively, taking actions towards outcomes either autonomously or with a human in the loop. It’s a tool that continuously monitors and learns, using its knowledge to execute operations, much like a human agent would.
And Siemens builds its industrial AI on these technologies, striving to make an AI that can understand engineering and manufacturing documentation. Our Industrial AI strategy aims merge general-purpose AI with industrial needs, leveraging domain-specific data including 2D/3D drawings, design intent, and even real-time operational technology data from shop floors. Just on the horizon, we will have tailor-made AI models for industrial contexts that can comprehend engineering data better than today’s generic language models.
Democratizing the power of programming
AI-infused Mendix has the power to accelerate industrial app development, enabling domain experts without traditional programming skills to build software. Mendix and AI are complementary tools that accelerate digital transformation, improve collaboration and enable smarter, more adaptive industrial applications.
To learn more about Mendix and what it can do to augment your company’s processes, tune into our Digital Transformation Podcast.
Siemens Digital Industries Software helps organizations of all sizes digitally transform using software, hardware and services from the Siemens Xcelerator business platform. Siemens’ software and the comprehensive digital twin enable companies to optimize their design, engineering and manufacturing processes to turn today’s ideas into the sustainable products of the future. From chips to entire systems, from product to process, across all industries. Siemens Digital Industries Software – Accelerating transformation.
