On June 17, 2026, approximately 40 CEOs, professors, and senior executives spent a day at the FEM Research Institute in Schwäbisch Gmünd examining where artificial intelligence could actually make a difference in their manufacturing processes. The event was hosted by the Aalen University of Applied Sciences and the East Württemberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce as part of an intensive workshop titled “Embodied Industrial AI—From Current Status to Implementation Strategy in One Day.”
More complex processes, greater product variety, and a shortage of skilled workers: AI systems that directly intervene in physical processes via sensors and robotics promise to alleviate these challenges. Whether they can deliver on this promise depends on the specific use case. That’s exactly where the workshop came in. Participants brought tasks from their day-to-day operations, evaluated potential AI applications in terms of effort and benefit, and determined which use case to tackle first. By the end of the day, each company had outlined the next steps—including the data and expertise required to move forward. On Thursday, October 1, the Industry 4.0 Center, in cooperation with the Ostwürttemberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), invites you to a follow-up event on this topic.
