In this episode, I sit down with Schunk CTO Timo Gessmann and Google DeepMind’s Phillip Lippe to explore how AI is transforming the world of robotics and industrial automation. We kick things off with Timo, who shares his vision for merging mechanical expertise with AI, the challenges of attracting top talent, and why Europe needs its own world-class robotics models.
Then, I’m joined by Phillip Lippe from the Gemini team, who dives into the latest advances in generative AI, the power of foundation models, and what the future holds for scalable, domain-specific intelligence. Whether you’re fascinated by embodied AI, curious about industry trends, or want a peek into the minds shaping tomorrow’s robots, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.
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AI in the Forest 2: From Annotation to Automation
We spent time in the Black Forest, where innovation met inspiration at our latest industrial AI gathering. In this episode, we share stories—from empowering autistic talent in data annotation to the technical leaps in foundation models for time series. You’ll hear from leading minds like Jakub Tomczak, who flew in from San Francisco to challenge what’s possible in generative AI, and explore how the landscape is shifting from traditional machine learning to adaptive, context-rich automation.
Join us as we question what makes AI truly intelligent, debate the role of human factors, and look ahead to the next wave of industrial transformation. If you’re curious about how AI is evolving in real factories, how new job profiles are emerging, or why continuous learning and time series matter more than ever, this conversation is for you.
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AI and spot welding inspection: Reinventing Quality Control
In this episode, I dive into the fascinating world of non-destructive material testing with Christian Wagner from Vogt Ultrasonics and Jan Koutnik from Evoptima. Together, we explore how AI is revolutionizing spot weld inspection in the automotive industry, making quality control smarter and more precise than ever before.
We discuss the challenges of processing massive ultrasonic datasets, adapting AI models to real-world manufacturing, and the journey from legacy systems to cutting-edge solutions. If you’re curious about how collaborative robots, vision systems, and robust AI are reshaping factory floors—and what it takes for mid-sized companies to lead the charge—this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
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The Welding World Model
In this episode, we dive into the realities behind industrial AI adoption—both the successes and the setbacks. We share candid conversations with engineers frustrated by unreliable AI and explore why real-world robustness remains the central challenge. Then, I sit down with Andy from Path Robotics, who reveals how their AI-driven welding robots are redefining adaptability and reliability on the shop floor. We unpack what makes their approach unique, from multi-modal sensors to reinforcement learning and massive real-world datasets. If you care about the future of manufacturing, data-driven automation, and the evolution of industrial roles, you won’t want to miss this discussion. Join us as we look ahead to what’s possible when AI finally delivers on its industrial promise.
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The OPC UA MCP Server
In this episode, I sit down with Armin Hadzalic to tackle the burning question: will the Model Context Protocol (MCP) truly transform industrial AI? We dive deep into how MCP connects large language models and agents to real-world data, what makes it different from protocols like OPC UA and MQTT, and why the biggest players in tech are rallying behind it. Armin shares practical examples, addresses skeptics, and explains what MCP means for engineers, technicians, and anyone working in industrial automation. If you're curious about the rise of agents, the future of dashboards, and what it takes to stay ahead in the evolving world of industrial AI, you won't want to miss this conversation. Join me as we explore where MCP is headed and what it could mean for your job and your factory.
The Industrial AI Podcast reports weekly on the latest developments in AI and machine learning for the engineering, robotics, automotive, process and automation industries. The podcast features industrial users, scientists, vendors and startups in the field of Industrial AI and machine learning. The podcast is hosted by Peter Seeberg, Industrial AI consultant and Robert Weber, tech journalist.Their mission: Demystify Industrial AI and machine learning, inspire industrial users.
The hosts:
Peter Seeberg is an Industrial AI and machine learning expert for the manufacturing industry. He worked over 25 years in IT (Intel) and 10 years in Automation. He co-initiated the Industrial Data Intelligence Startup (Softing) where he was responsible for managing machine learning projects in industrial environments. Today he advises companies when it comes to Industrial AI and machine learning. Together with Robert Weber, journalist for industrial topics, he discusses AI and ML applications, standards, and education topics, make or buy decisions as well as regulation for AI in manufacturing.
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