AI Lab: Volkswagen Group Establishes an Artificial Intelligence Company
AI Lab: Volkswagen Group Establishes an Artificial Intelligence Company: The Volkswagen Group has revealed the launch of AI Lab, a company specializing in the development of digital products driven by artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance customer experiences within its vehicles. AI Lab will function as a competence center and project incubator for Volkswagen, identifying novel AI-related product ideas and coordinating them internally within the group. The company also envisions close collaborations with tech enterprises to swiftly develop digital prototypes.
Oliver Blume, CEO of the Volkswagen Group and Porsche AG, clearly articulates the company's ambition: to provide genuine added value to its customers through AI.
In line with this vision, Volkswagen aims to continually introduce new AI-driven digital products into its vehicles, extending beyond simple navigation or infotainment. High-performance voice recognition, connectivity services, and advanced vehicle functions will become key differentiating factors for the company.
Volkswagen is also considering applications such as optimized charging cycles for electric vehicles, predictive maintenance, and integration with the smart home infrastructures of its customers.
The group, which recently integrated ChatGPT into its IDA voice assistant through a technological partnership with Cerence, a provider of AI-based mobility solutions, intends to leverage collaborations with other players in the industry in Europe, China, and North America to fully exploit the innovation potential and speed of the AI sector.
Oliver Blume assures, "Our goal is to connect external digital ecosystems to the vehicle to create an even better product experience. Collaboration with tech companies is crucial for us. In the future, we intend to simplify cooperation organizationally and culturally."
AI Lab will not handle the production of series models but will focus on creating innovative digital prototypes, which will then be entrusted to the group's brands for implementation.
To achieve its objectives, the Volkswagen Group has enlisted AI experts for the technical management of the new company, which will work closely with all group brands. Members of the boards of directors of the Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche brands will form the Supervisory Board.
Michael Steiner, Head of Research and Development at the Volkswagen Group and member of the Porsche AG Board of Directors, concludes, "With our new 'AI Lab,' we combine technological expertise, flexibility, and speed in collaboration with external partners. This will be crucial in the highly dynamic AI sector. We will pursue very promising initiatives in the market, collaborating with partners if necessary, regardless of existing agreements and other links in mass production."