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Large turnout at the "AI.productive 2025" user day in Darmstadt
DARMSTADT – Demand for digitalization and artificial intelligence is high: The "AI.productive 2025" , hosted by the Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Darmstadt (MDZ), was fully booked on Thursday, September 25, at the darmstadtium and the learning factories of TU Darmstadt. Over 150 participants from academia and industry engaged in practical discussions about the future of industrial production with AI.
Exchange between SMEs and research
The MDZ Darmstadt – a collaboration between TU Darmstadt, the Fraunhofer Society, and the Darmstadt Rhine-Main-Neckar Chamber of Industry and Commerce – hosted the event for the second time since 2022. The focus was particularly on small and medium-sized enterprises seeking realistic prospects for the use of AI.
The program offered expert presentations, a panel discussion, and a keynote address on topics such as:
- Applications of large language models in production
- legal and technical framework
- concrete practical examples and use cases
, start-ups and exhibitors presented innovative developments, while demonstrators made the technology tangible.
Live demonstrations on the Lichtwiese campus
The event concluded with a guided tour of the experimental fields and learning factories at TU Darmstadt. In facilities such as the Flow Factory , the Smart Forming Center , the TEC-Lab , and the Additive Manufacturing Center, participants were able to experience how digitalization and AI are already transforming production today.
“A once-in-a-century opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises”
Prof. Dr. Joachim Metternich, spokesperson for the MDZ Darmstadt, was enthusiastic about the success of the event:
“Artificial intelligence is nothing less than a once-in-a-century opportunity for companies to increase productivity, expand their offerings, and successfully manage the generational transition. Those who utilize these opportunities more quickly will have the advantage.”
Background: SMEs Go Digital
The network supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in their digitalization efforts and the implementation of AI. In addition to practical examples, it offers learning and demonstration factories , training programs, and information events. The program is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
Further information: www.mittelstand-digital.de
(DARMSTADT – RED/MD)
