Embracing human-centered AI
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As a responsible company, we are committed to a human-centered approach to artificial intelligence.
We are committed to safe AI and empower our employees to use it responsibly.
Artificial intelligence should support people, extend their capabilities, and create new opportunities, not replace their responsibility. Artificial intelligence is changing business, the world of work, and society. It creates new opportunities to make knowledge more accessible, evaluate information, and handle complex tasks.
In our AI guidelines, we take into account the role and responsibility of employees. Technology is intended to enable employees and create more room for tasks where experience, creativity, responsibility, and human judgment are essential. In this way, Wilo connects technological innovation with responsibility and creates organizational framework conditions for the use of AI.
Support rather than replacement
AI as assistance in everyday work
AI can be particularly helpful in tasks that involve large volumes of information, repetitive work steps, or structured analyses.
Automated analyses, intelligent assistance systems, and generative applications can structure information, prepare content, and facilitate access to knowledge. This can give employees more time for tasks where human experience and professional judgment are essential.
At Wilo, AI is therefore understood as a tool that supports people in their work. Responsibility for evaluating results and for the decisions derived from them remains with people.
Clear rules and governance for the use of AI
The use of AI requires clear framework conditions. When developing and introducing AI applications, we review relevant data protection, IT security, and regulatory requirements.
For selected AI initiatives, the Wilo Group has defined governance structures and responsibilities. The Global AI Competence Center brings together expertise in technologies, use cases, security, and compliance and supports AI initiatives from the development of a use case through to implementation. In this way, organizational structures are created to accompany the use of AI within the company.
Practical example: WiloGPT and Microsoft Copilot
With WiloGPT and Microsoft Copilot, employees have access to AI-based applications for a range of tasks in everyday work.
These tools can, for example, support research, knowledge management, document creation, analysis, and communication. This makes it possible to structure and prepare information more quickly in different work situations. The evaluation of results and responsibility for decisions remain with people.
Practical example: Adaptive worker assistance
At Wilo, artificial intelligence is used above all where it can provide concrete support to people in their daily work. With adaptive worker assistance, we have integrated AI directly into the production environment. It supports employees in different work steps and adapts to their individual needs.
A camera- and light-based system indicates which work step comes next. Depending on experience and requirements, the level of support can vary in detail. The system also takes into account the working height, identifies work steps where additional support is needed, and adjusts weights or lifting aids to the respective work situation.
In this way, AI becomes a tool for people: it provides guidance for individual work steps, supports physically demanding tasks, and can adapt workflows to the situation based on defined assistance parameters.
For this human-centered approach, Wilo received the Microsoft Intelligent Manufacturing Award 2024 in the category “Add Value!”
Developing competencies for working with AI
AI competence begins with people
The responsible use of AI requires employees to understand digital tools and to assess their results critically.
For this reason, Wilo combines the introduction of AI applications with qualification and competency development. Employees learn to identify suitable use cases, use AI systems appropriately, and assess results in terms of quality, plausibility, and possible risks.
Training and learning formats are designed to build these competencies. In this way, AI competence becomes part of a working environment in which technological development and human responsibility are considered together.
AI supports data-based decisions
Data creates additional foundations for decision-making
AI can analyze large volumes of data, identify interdependencies, and prepare information for different questions. Depending on the use case, this can create additional opportunities for planning, forecasting, and process management. At the same time, the quality of the results depends on the data basis, the model, the application context, and human evaluation.
Practical example: AI-supported demand forecasting and quality management
In global supply chains, data-based methods can help analyze demand developments and further develop planning processes.
Intelligent analyses can also be used in quality management to systematically bring together information from different processes and projects and make relevant patterns visible.
The combination of data analysis and human expertise thus creates additional foundations for decision-making and supports the continuous improvement of processes.
Advancing AI securely
Responsibility does not end with the introduction of an application
Because technologies, regulatory requirements, and application scenarios continue to evolve, our AI governance provides for regular review and adjustment.
In this way, Wilo combines technological development with governance, qualification, and practical experience and, through these measures, supports context-based and understandable use of AI applications.
People and AI shaping the future together
Our AI approach combines technical applications with defined human review and decision roles. AI supports employees, makes knowledge more accessible, and opens up new ways of handling complex tasks.
For Wilo, this means that AI should enable and support people; decisions remain with people within the processes defined for them. In this way, governance, qualification, and development measures can be continued together.
