AI is ‘game changer’ at TRUMPF

Sarah Engel, Head of AI at TRUMPF, unveils why TRUMPF is relying on artificial intelligence (AI), how AI will change the way that employees work and the limits of AI in the September 2025 issue of ISMR.

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Sarah Engel, Head of AI at TRUMPF, is fascinated by the interface between humans and artificial intelligence (AI), and especially how artificial intelligence can be used in a trustworthy way. She studied cognitive science and neuroinformatics at Tübingen and Ulm in Germany. In her previous positions at IBM and Capgemini, she advised and supported companies on AI and added value (from strategy to scaled implementation). At TRUMPF, she is particularly looking forward to working creatively in an innovative environment and, together with various departments, taking a big step forward in AI.

TRUMPF was founded in 1923 as a series of mechanical workshops and has since developed into one of the world’s leading companies for machine tools, laser technology and electronics for industrial applications. In this interview, Sarah Engel unveils why TRUMPF is relying on artificial intelligence (AI), how AI will change the way that employees work and the limits of AI.

Why does TRUMPF rely on AI?

Sarah Engel (SE): We rely on artificial intelligence (AI) because we are convinced that it is a decisive factor for the future of our work, our products and our services. AI enables us to optimise processes, increase efficiency and offer our customers innovative solutions to strengthen their competitiveness. TRUMPF is committed to the innovation of high-level technology, and we also want to play a leading role in the industry when it comes to artificial intelligence.

In which areas of your business is the potential for AI particularly strong?

SE: Let me briefly explain what makes AI special. It is a technology that imitates cognitive abilities such as speech comprehension, image processing or pattern recognition. AI uses large amounts of data, statistics and learning mechanisms to do this. The areas of application are diverse. Among other things, AI helps to analyse data; identify regularities and irregularities; make predictions; automate processes; generate texts and images; or operate knowledge management.

We want to use AI extensively to create added value in as many areas of our company as possible (for example in sales, human resources, research, development and in the production of our products and services).

Can the efficiency gains achieved through the use of AI be expressed in figures?

To read the rest of this interview in the September 2025 issue of ISMR, please see https://joom.ag/c52d/p42