At Hannover Messe, Siemens announced the release of the Eigen Engineering Agent, an innovative artificial intelligence solution that represents the transition from AI assistance to industrial automation engineering performed without human intervention. This particular AI tool is distinguished by its ability to be the first one in the market to be able to develop and validate engineering solutions independently.
As compared with other conventional tools of AI and AI copilots, Eigen Engineering Agent can go far beyond giving advice to engineers and actively participate in their work. It will be able to comprehensively study project requirements, compose corresponding software, configure systems and make necessary changes to improve system performance according to established standards until all of the required results have been achieved. This feature allows the agent to automate routine activities and generate ready-for-use solutions.
How productivity could be increased in light of shortage of talent:
The development of such an agent comes at an opportune time, considering that there is currently a shortage of engineering talent and increased demands on manufacturers to reduce their time to market. The Eigen Engineering Agent offers two to five times greater speed of execution compared to traditional manual processes, while maintaining accuracy and reliability. Moreover, it provides solutions with a level of quality that is 80 percent better than existing solutions, as well as increases engineering efficiency by 50 percent when undertaking certain tasks. This marks one step forward in the application of artificial intelligence to industrial processes, offering a powerful tool in tackling some of the challenges in the engineering field.
Potential impact:
In the words of Peter Koerte, member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and its Chief Technology Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, “This is a pivotal moment for industrial AI, making it as intuitive as consumer AI but much more impactful. The Eigen Engineering Agent delivers clear business value to our customers. It will have the capability to fundamentally change the way they design, construct, and operate industrial systems.”
In the course of pilot rollouts at 100 companies in 19 countries, the Eigen Engineering Agent increased efficiency during important engineering activities such as PLC programming, HMI visualization, and device configuration, the pilot customers being among others, ANDRITZ Metals, CASMT, and Prism Systems.
Real-life application results:
“Here at ANDRITZ, we see AI as a transformative force in industrial engineering. Its possibilities include achieving huge productivity improvements, significant efficiencies, and competitive advantage. We are honored to be shaping that future alongside Siemens through breakthroughs like the Eigen Engineering Agent,” shared Michael Luu, Head of Engineering Processes & Electric at ANDRITZ Metals.
“This is an industrial automation-oriented AI assistant,” commented Kevin Firouzian, Head of Global Strategy & Partnerships at CASMT. “In our EMB (electromechanical braking) line case, Eigen Engineering Agent took a complicated multidisciplinary problem and turned it into a conversational process. Set up became simpler, handoffs from specialists became unnecessary, delivery was faster, and debugging became much quicker.”
This technology from Siemens is a part of their wider industrial artificial intelligence initiative:
The Eigen Engineering Agent takes its name from the German term for ‘one’s own’ and has been built to be an ongoing provider of intelligence as the world of AI continues to evolve at an exponential pace. This particular AI was built to start out in automation engineering but then move through the entire industrial value chain as part of Siemens’ push towards bringing AI into industrial applications, with a €1 billion commitment to industrial AI.
“We’ve seen what AI can do in ChatGPT and how engineers embrace those opportunities,” mentioned John Elias, President at Prism Systems. “The problem has been incorporating this ability into industrial processes. These new Siemens’ capabilities make that easier.”
