Robots and other automation technologies have greatly increased productivity in today's factories. However, they still have one major limitation: They require people to tell them what to do.

KARLSRUHE, Germany—A group of engineers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology are using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to develop an agile production system that can autonomously adapt to changing product specifications.

 

TOKYO—Kawasaki Heavy Industries has unveiled a new collaborative robot that uses artificial intelligence to copy the expert motions of people.

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI—Fanuc, one of the world’s largest makers of industrial robots, is working with Nvidia, a Silicon Valley chipmaker that specializes in artificial intelligence, to add learning capabilities to its products.

WASHINGTON—The National Institute of Standards and Technology is launching a simulation-based competition aimed at making robots more capable, versatile and collaborative, as well as easier to program.