An industrial copilot for machine maintenance and operation is called an operations copilot. The Operations Copilot will act as a human user interface as mobile transport robots become more and more autonomous physical agents driven by artificial intelligence (AI).
Through this agent-based interface, users will be able to configure autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated guided vehicles (AGVs), assigning them tasks like transporting materials and goods across the shop floor. This is yet another building block for automating automation in a factory with the help of generative AI.
Operations Copilot will be enhanced with agents for AMRs and AGVs
In a next step, Siemens plans to expand the capabilities of the Operations Copilot by introducing AI agents specifically developed for use with AMRs and AGVs. These agents support both the commissioning and operation of individual vehicles and entire fleets. Commissioning in particular is a complex and time-intensive process: AGVs need to be integrated into the factory’s existing IT and OT infrastructure and configured for specific conditions like routes and transfer stations. To streamline this task, engineers can rely on the Operations Copilot: It leverages AGV sensors and cameras to generate a detailed understanding of their environment. The Operations Copilot can access all relevant technical documentation of the installed components and retrieve real-time system data through its agent interface. This enables commissioning engineers and operators to work more efficiently, resolve issues faster, and ensure rapid deployment.
“By integrating both physical and virtual AI agents into our Operations Copilot, we’re unlocking a new dimension of interaction between humans, robotics, and AI,” said
Rainer Brehm, CEO of Factory Automation at Siemens. “This enables our customers to deploy autonomous transport systems more quickly, operate them efficiently, and enhance safety – bringing us one step closer to a fully autonomous factory.”
New Safe Velocity software enhances safety on the shop floor
AGVs are equipped with navigation and sensor technologies, that allow them to move safely and reliably through production and intralogistics environments – with no direct human intervention. When people or objects appear in their path, AGVs automatically slow down, stop, or navigate around these obstacles. Siemens’ new software solution, Safe Velocity, enables the fail-safe monitoring of vehicle speed, which permits the protective fields of safety laser scanners to be dynamically adjusted in real time. The TÜV-certified software is compatible with the hardware and software from a variety of AGV manufacturers and enhances existing safety systems to meet stringent industrial safety standards. Safe Velocity reduces the need for additional safety hardware. This simplifies system architecture, saves valuable vehicle space, lowers engineering complexity, and minimizes cabling requirements – without compromising functional safety.
In the future, the Operations Copilot will interact with AI agents such as Safe Velocity to analyze targeted data from safety laser scanners and monitor the speed of AGVs. The virtual Safe Velocity agent supervises autonomous vehicles and can cooperate with other agents designed for AGV and AMR applications. This way, Siemens is building a multi-agent system where the Operations Copilot orchestrates both physical and virtual AI agents, enabling seamless interactions and deeper integration between the real and the digital worlds.
Siemens showcases how AI and robotics are already transforming automation – and offer a glimpse into future developments – at automatica in Munich from June 24 to 27, 2025.
