Experimental spaces for the introduction of disruptive technologies in production

The introduction of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) in the manufacturing industry poses challenges in terms of the subsequent use by employees. When introducing such technologies in the production environment, the introduction strategy must be considered from the outset as part of the product development and the product life cycle. Therefore, the need for a methodical procedure for the transparent and effective introduction of such technologies in the manufacturing industry arises in the context for through-life engineering services . The KI_Café method proposes a way to educate employees through a transparent introduction. A key component of the KI_Café method is a recurring company-public experimental space on the shop floor. In a use case an AI -based assistance system for assessing the cutting-edge quality of milling tools is being developed and then tested in cooperation with two companies . For this purpose, the development of the AI-system is conducted in an interdisciplinary team with employees of the companies . The development process is complemented by conducting workshops with the employees , where they provide feedback to the developers. At defined times during the development phase, the current development status of the AI system is presented at the recurring experimental spaces on the shop floor. This offers the opportunity for all employees to give their feedback on the development process and contribute their own ideas. In addition, various exhibits related to the topic of AI are on display in order to reduce fears in dealing with this technology and to arouse enthusiasm. The findings of the first run of the experimental spaces are that the KI_Café method is a suitable approach for providing employees with competencies regarding AI by focusing on the introduction of an AI -based assistance system.