Danone Launches Global AI Academy, Plans Futuristic Digital Factories
Danone is working on an enterprise-wide artificial intelligence training and education initiative with the launch of its Industry 5.0 Academy, designed to help develop talent and support digital scaling.
The program will help the company accelerate its adoption of AI, automation and other smart technologies, according to Danone.
Twenty thousand operations employees will gain access to the Academy, which is intended to foster collaboration between teams and support advanced tech adoption for AI, robotics and smart devices, some of which are already in use, including:
- Smart sensors that detect vibrations and temperature changes to predict problems with machines before they occur, eliminating the need for routine checks and reducing downtime.
- AI assistants that analyze production line data, identify efficiencies and reduce energy consumption by lowering the carbon footprint of Danone’s factories.
- AI within operations optimizations, such as spray drying in baby formula production, allowing employees to tap into real-time analysis, scenario planning and improved decision-making.
- AI-powered digital twin simulations that allow Danone to test new recipes and production scenarios virtually.
While the facility is located in Poland at Danone’s Nutricia’s Opole site, training will be delivered virtually as well as in person, with courses covering advanced automation, AI prompt engineering and data-driven decision making.
“The global manufacturing sector faces a significant shortfall of skilled workers. It’s a commercial imperative for us to train our existing talent base and empower them to be active participants in Industry 5.0,” COO Vikram Agarwal said in a statement.
He added that the company is also developing a new network of 10 factories to pilot “the digital factory of the future to set new industry standards for human-machine collaboration.”
The efforts are part of the company’s digital manufacturing and innovation strategy, which looks to elevate speed, productivity, sustainability, resilience and flexibility across its global network by 2026.
