What Siemens’ New AI Data Alliance Means for Manufacturers. A Q & A with Siemens

Siemens has recently announced a major development in the world of industrial AI. The company has formed a new data alliance with leading machine builders, aimed at accelerating the training and deployment of advanced AI systems across engineering and manufacturing. Partners currently involved include Siemens, TRUMPF, CHIRON, GROB, Heller, Renishaw, RWTH Aachen and Voith.

The response from the industry has been immediate, with factories, OEMs and integrators wanting to understand what this means for productivity, programming, automation and day to day work on the shop floor and in the engineering office.

To explore the real impact of this announcement, Machine Tool News sat down with Matthias, a key expert for data and partnerships at Siemens for Industrial AI. His team plays a crucial role in shaping how we secure industrial datasets, form strategic collaborations, and ensure that we drive the right data partnerships for the future.

What follows is a detailed conversation that covers the benefits for manufacturers, how Siemens handles sensitive data, what multi brand shops can expect and the milestones to watch over the next year.

MTN: For readers who may not know you, could you introduce your role at Siemens and what you work on?

Matthias: Sure. At Siemens, my work centers around creating practical generative AI solutions for industrial applications and internal processes.  The goal is to create AI powered products and services that help automate engineering and manufacturing processes.

My role covers two areas. First, I manage strategic partnerships. Second, I am responsible for data acquisition. That means I work with Siemens teams and external partners to source the industrial data needed to train our models. The aim is to build models that can automate tasks which previously needed a lot of engineering time and expertise.

MTN: Congratulations on the announcement in September. What are the first tangible benefits customers will see from this alliance?

Matthias: Thank you. The main benefits depend on the partner and what they value, but there are several clear advantages.

Many customers want early access to our Industrial Copilots. These tools can automate tasks in for example CAD, CAM, and engineering, and provide a significant speed increase. Tasks that normally take hours or days can now be done in minutes.

Some customers also value the ability to give product feedback during early access. This allows them to influence how the Copilots develop.

Finally, we do not require customers to share sensitive IP. They decide what data they want to share, and the model can still learn effectively without proprietary data.

MTN: Many factories use a mix of brands. How does the alliance help users who have Siemens, TRUMPF, GROB, CHIRON, or others all in the same shop?

Matthias: The Copilots run in Siemens software environments like NX. They do not run directly on the machine tool. So, the brand of the machine on the shop floor does not limit the benefits.

A CAM program created by the Copilot is the same as one created manually. So it can still be used on any machine that supports the program.

The biggest gains are in the engineering office. Designers and programmers who use Siemens software will see a major increase in speed and efficiency. If a customer does not use Siemens software, then they will not get the full Copilot benefit at this stage. But their mixed fleet does not create a barrier.

MTN: In your view, what makes this alliance truly groundbreaking?

Matthias: Several things. First, nobody else has created a data alliance like this in the industrial sector. Most people believed it would never work because companies are very protective of their data. But we have proven that it is possible.

We already have eight signed partners, and I have spoken with around thirty to forty more who are seriously considering joining. It is becoming scalable.

Siemens and its partners understand how valuable this alliance is, and the company is increasing efforts to bring even more partners on board to leverage industrial artificial intelligence across different industries.

MTN: Data ownership and trust are major concerns. How are you addressing security and transparency?

Matthias: This is always one of the first topics we discuss with partners. We take several steps to build trust.

First, partners share their data with Siemens, and Siemens does not share that data with any other partner or competitor.

Second, partners decide what they share. They never need to provide IP sensitive geometry. We only need a large volume of diverse parts to train the models effectively.

Third, everything is encrypted, both during transfer and in storage. All storage is based in Europe.

Fourth, we are actively working on mechanisms to prevent reverse engineering and ensure that prompts to AI models come exclusively from Siemens applications. While this is our long-term standard, ongoing development is aligning with this vision to maximize data integrity.

Finally, many of our partners have collaborated with Siemens for years. They already trust us with innovation projects, which helps a lot when building something new.

MTN: What milestones should we watch for over the next six to twelve months?

Matthias: Data holds the key to unlocking the full potential of industrial AI. The effectiveness of any AI model is directly tied to the quality and diversity of the data it learns from. This is why forging strong, trusted data partnerships is essential and why we aim to reinforce and expand these data alliances, as they form the foundation for accelerated innovation across industries. By working closely with our partners, we can drive transformative change and harness the true power of AI to tackle the biggest challenges in industrial applications.

Find out more

Siemens has created a dedicated page where manufacturers can learn more or express interest in joining the alliance.
You can find more information here: https://www.siemens.com/global/en/company/innovation/collaborations-partnerships/siemens-data-alliance.html

Final remark from Machine Tool News

The Siemens Data Alliance is an important step forward for the manufacturing industry. It shows that real collaboration around industrial data is possible and that AI can automate tasks that were previously too complex or too varied to handle. As Siemens prepares to release its first products, the impact on programming, engineering, and production planning could be significant.

Machine Tool News will continue tracking every development. If you want the latest updates on AI, automation, and next generation manufacturing technology, stay tuned.

For more stories like this see our Software news page.