Skills shortage: AI with natural language to help
Siemens and Schaeffler are testing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for machine control. As a so-called co-pilot, it should help to program machines faster and more easily, as the companies announced on Tuesday. The combination of human expertise and AI that works with natural language makes it possible to produce software "at a completely different level of speed and efficiency", said Schaeffler CEO Klaus Rosenfeld.
Particularly in view of the shortage of skilled programmers, the use of AI is "a very promising development", Rosenfeld emphasized. "And it is exactly what we need to create sustainable jobs in high-wage locations." This gives us courage "that we can counter the eternal criticism that Germany is being left behind" and is "a huge opportunity to keep jobs here".
Workforce not in danger
The application is a co-pilot and not an autopilot, emphasizes Cedrik Neike, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens and Head of the Digital Industries Division. "It won't replace jobs, but it will replace the repetitive, boring parts of work." He estimates the potential efficiency gain from AI in the industrial sector at 15 to 50 percent, depending on the specific case. "We now have to show that we can achieve this," he says, describing the purpose of the pilot project with Schaeffler. After that, however, it will be possible to scale such applications quickly.
Rosenfeld describes the process: In future, the machine expert will write what the machine needs to do in a text document, this will be sent to the AI's chatbox, which will then create software that is 80 percent complete at record speed. "When you do that today, there are a lot of manual steps in between. That takes time, that takes time, that takes time," emphasizes the Schaeffler boss.
In addition to speed, AI also offers documentation of software development, can help with troubleshooting and can even suggest solutions itself. "This is a completely new form of collaboration between man and machine," emphasizes Neike. "In the past, humans had to speak the language of the machine, now the machine can respond in our language."
As a result, AI acts as an "intelligence amplifier" and makes it possible to operate more machines, says Neike. "More factories are being built in the world, and there are fewer and fewer skilled workers who really have this automation know-how. And that's why you need this simplification, so that you can solve problems faster."
The integration of AI in the industry, as demonstrated by Siemens and Schaeffler, could significantly improve the labor market by reducing the time required for programming machines with natural language. This could potentially alleviate the skills shortage in programming, opening up opportunities for sustainable job creation in high-wage locations.
With AI acting as an "intelligence amplifier," it can handle repetitive and boring tasks, preventing job displacement but instead allowing humans to focus on more complex problems in the field of machine control. By leveraging AI, the industry can operate more machines efficiently, even with a decreasing pool of skilled workers.
Source: www.dpa.com
