KUKA Group is driving the transition to ‘Automation 2.0.’ At NVIDIA GTC, the corporate presents KUKA AMP and exhibits how Bodily AI is increasing industrial automation.
An orange KUKA robotic joined the stage at NVIDIA’s current AI convention GTC, showing alongside NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, founder and head of the world’s Most worthy publicly listed firm. His keynote made one factor clear: industrial automation is coming into a brand new section. In manufacturing, AI techniques is not going to solely analyze and predict, however understand, resolve and act autonomously within the bodily world.
Bodily AI and superior robotics are quickly turning into key to fashionable manufacturing, provide chains, and industrial providers as they increase productiveness and competitiveness. This transformation is accelerated by breakthroughs in largescale AI fashions, simulation pushed innovation, and highly effective compute architectures spanning gadgets, edge techniques, and datacenters.
KUKA Group, as a worldwide automation firm, is taking part in an necessary function on this shift. KUKA Group CEO Christoph Schell says: “Robots and automation techniques are evolving from programmable machines to clever collaborators, able to studying, adapting and working safely alongside people. With new open software program platforms corresponding to KUKA AMP bridging conventional deterministic automation, corresponding to rule-based, pre-programmed techniques, with intent-based automation, the pathway from idea to deployment is turning into sooner, extra correct, extra value environment friendly and extra autonomous”. KUKA unveiled its new automation administration software program platform (KUKA AMP) publicly for the primary time at NVIDIA GTC.
From Automation 1.0 to Bodily AI: KUKA Group builds on its strengths to drive international management and future development
With this evolution in its expertise stack the corporate recognized for its profound manufacturing experience might be including intent-based capabilities and bodily AI throughout robotics, system integration, warehouse administration, healthcare automation and simulation. Intent-based techniques translate a person’s desired consequence into automated choices and actions, permitting expertise to determine how you can obtain a aim somewhat than requiring people to specify each step. KUKA is repositioning itself to broaden its international management function within the age of Bodily AI, or what KUKA refers to as ‘Automation 2.0’.
Within the right here and now of conventional rule-based automation, the so-called ‘Automation 1.0’, markets are extra aggressive than ever: some long-standing automation prospects within the automotive and different vertical industries are lowering investments considerably, and buyer demand and manufacturing footprints are shifting internationally. “As we transfer towards Automation 2.0 and Bodily AI, Automation 1.0 stays important – for KUKA and for the complete business. Confirmed, rule-based automation continues to ship the soundness and productiveness our prospects depend on, particularly in excessive quantity and security crucial environments. We’re not changing it. We’re increasing it with intent-based and AI pushed capabilities. Automation 1.0 stays because the spine, whereas Automation 2.0 provides new flexibility. KUKA will proceed to be a key participant in each”, Christoph Schell says.
Robots are evolving from programmable machines into clever collaborators, able to studying, adapting and working safely alongside people. © KUKA Group
On the identical time the expertise disruption and potential for future development is attracting investments from an rising variety of new and present robotic and automation system suppliers. On this complicated setting, the strategic repositioning is already mirrored within the firm’s efficiency. KUKA Group recorded worthwhile income development of 4 p.c in 2025 and elevated order consumption.
KUKA Group accelerates innovation with file R&D spend and a billion euro milestone in China
KUKA Group started laying the groundwork final 12 months after the brand new CEO Christoph Schell took workplace. “We’re persistently advancing our strategic path. Our development classes – clever automation, and software program and AI outlined infrastructure – are growing dynamically and kind a succesful basis to allow long-term success. Our modular manufacturing platforms paved the way”, says Schell, and resumes: “Wanting forward, we count on a decade of profound technological transformation. Price-out initiatives, Software program and AI, in addition to shifts in geographical significance have gotten decisive drivers of future success of the KUKA Group”, says the expertise govt.
In 2025, KUKA Group invested a file €213 million in analysis and improvement. That’s the highest quantity within the firm’s historical past. The corporate is extra globally balanced than ever, with final 12 months’s income evenly cut up, at round one third every, throughout EMEA (Europe, the Center East and Africa), the Americas, and Asia-Pacific.
China stays the world’s largest robotics market, accounting for greater than 50 p.c of worldwide demand. On this extremely aggressive setting, KUKA has additional strengthened its market place and is now ranked among the many prime two gamers. For the primary time within the firm’s historical past, income from the China enterprise exceeded the €1 billion threshold, underscoring the rising strategic significance of the area.
“Automation 1.0 stays because the spine, whereas Automation 2.0 provides new flexibility. KUKA will proceed to be a key participant in each.” – Christoph Schell, CEO KUKA Group
International enlargement with innovation hubs and built-in automation options throughout Asia
In parallel, the corporate continues to broaden its international footprint, most not too long ago with certainly one of many new coaching, analysis, and software facilities in central Vietnam, developed in partnership with the College of Danang. In India, one of many quickest rising automation markets globally, KUKA Group continues to systematically broaden its market presence to take part within the nation’s sturdy medium to long-term industrial development.
In the USA, KUKA has established a software program and AI heart of excellence in Silicon Valley. The staff is headed by Marc Fleischmann and contains Melonee Sensible, an award-winning robotics pioneer, who’s now working with the worldwide automation group and offered KUKA AMP throughout NVIDIA GTC.
For purchasers, this implies a single automation resolution companion able to integrating {hardware}, software program, and digital options – from industrial and cell robotics to simulation, shuttles, cranes, warehouse techniques, and healthcare automation – providing prospects seamless, end-to-end automation that’s simpler to deploy, scale, and function worldwide. The corporate additionally operates total manufacturing crops and automatic contract manufacturing amenities on behalf of shoppers, and, relying on the business, presents Robots-as-a-Service fashions. CEO Schell commented: “We’re among the many only a few international end-to-end industrial automation resolution suppliers.”
