Microsoft and Siemens are strengthening their collaboration to introduce the benefits of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to global industries. The partnership involves Microsoft's Azure OpenAI Service, which powers Siemens Industrial Copilot, drastically reducing simulation times from weeks to minutes while maintaining user control over data.
"Microsoft and Siemens are deepening their partnership by bringing the benefits of generative AI to industries worldwide," was the joint statement released by both entities.
According to a release by Microsoft, AI copilots have significant roles across various industries such as manufacturing, infrastructure, transportation, and healthcare. They intend to implement these copilots in different manufacturing sectors including automotive, consumer package goods, and machine building. Schaeffler AG, an automotive supplier, is among the early adopters of generative AI in engineering. It uses AI for creating reliable code for industrial automation systems and plans to incorporate Siemens Industrial Copilot in its operations and those of its clients for reducing downtimes.
Microsoft’s Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella said about this development: "With this next generation of AI, we have a unique opportunity to accelerate innovation across the entire industrial sector. We’re building on our longstanding collaboration with Siemens and bringing together AI advances across the Microsoft Cloud with Siemens’ industrial domain expertise to empower both frontline and knowledge workers with new, AI-powered tools starting with Siemens Industrial Copilot."
On his part Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens AG said: "Together with Microsoft, our shared vision is to empower customers with the adoption of generative AI. This has the potential to revolutionize the way companies design, develop, manufacture, and operate. Making human-machine collaboration more widely available allows engineers to accelerate code development increase innovation and tackle skilled labor shortages."
According to another announcement from Microsoft Teamcenter for Microsoft Teams will be generally available from Dec. 2023 advancing virtual team collaboration using cutting-edge generative AI technology between different functions within product design and manufacturing lifecycle. It integrates Siemens' Teamcenter software for product lifecycle management (PLM) with Microsoft's Teams platform, improving data accessibility for factory and field service personnel. The solution allows workers who currently lack access to PLM tools to contribute seamlessly to design and manufacturing processes in their daily tasks. More information about Siemens Industrial Copilot will be disclosed at the SPS expo in Nuremberg, Germany, in Nov. 2023.