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AI in internal processes

Many of our everyday tasks – both at work and at home – start with a simple question: Where can I find this information? How should I structure this text? Or how would I quickly summarise multiple documents? It is for just these situations that Vorwerk Assist is on hand. The internal AI assistant supports employees to find information more quickly, structure content and complete routine tasks more efficiently.

At the end of 2023, Vorwerk kicked off a strategic analysis on the use of artificial intelligence within the company. A range of teams had already been dealing with AI since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022; these various streams were brought together at the end of 2023 and transferred into a strategic initiative.
Working together with external partners, possible areas of application were identified and prioritised. One central finding was that AI can primarily support employees when handling information takes up a lot of their time.

Vorwerk Assist – an internal platform which serves as a central access point to various AI applications – was developed on the basis of this analysis. It bundles together a range of functions and facilitates access to company-wide information and knowledge sources. Unlike the freely available applications, this system has been established specifically for Vorwerk’s requirements – with clear rules for data protection, security and the integration of company-specific content, while also making use of external AI models, solutions and tools.

For everyday work, it offers clear benefits in many smaller tasks: structuring documents, formulating short reports, revising content and finding internal information fast – activities that seem like no big deal when considered individually, but which take up a lot of time when added together.

“We didn’t approach the topic of AI as just a wild idea that we could ‘have a go at’. It was a clear strategic task to integrate the capability into our products, our internal processes and our work as a leadership team,” comments Julius Ganns.

Vorwerk Assist was developed in stages. Product, data and IT teams worked with specialist departments to define use cases, test prototypes and refine functions. Pilot users from various departments provided feedback from practice.

The platform is now being continually expanded – with new functions, additional integrations and improvements in terms of performance and safety. In the process Vorwerk Assist is developing into an established component of the digital working environment.

It is also evolving as a tool which is intended to do one thing above all else: make everyday life a little easier and more efficient.

Cookidoo® has long been more than a digital recipe collection. The platform combines a device, service and content to create a networked ecosystem which makes everyday cooking easier and more special with every update. Cookidoo® Assistant represents a whole new level: artificial intelligence that supports users in their search for the right recipe and which will in future assist them in prioritising their own wellbeing.

Instead of clicking through thousands of recipes, users can ask, for example, what meal could they prepare with the ingredients at hand. The AI suggests suitable dishes, sorts options and helps users make decisions more quickly.

The assistant is integrated directly into the Cookidoo® platform and works with the Thermomix®. Once a recipe has been selected the device takes over and, by means of the Guided Cooking function, leads the user through the cooking process one step at a time. This means a seamless journey from the idea to the finished meal – with minimum effort.

At the same time, the system is still part of the trusted Cookidoo® experience. Users log into their Cookidoo® profile, access their stored recipes, and can individually adjust recommendations.

“The point here is not for us to even further improve the automation of the cooking process. What we want to achieve is simplifying the route from the thought to the meal,” explains Oliver Fuchs, describing the approach.

Cookidoo® Assistant demonstrates how Vorwerk hardware interlinks with digital platforms and services – with AI working unobtrusively in the background, shortening pathways and providing guidance for everyday life.

For Markus Friedel, the development of new robotics solutions starts with people’s everyday routines. Which tasks are time-consuming? What brings about genuine relief? We derive answers to these questions – and implement them in parallel to technical development processes. This approach means we avoid long, complicated processes and can progressively develop functional solutions for everyday life – even if all the technology is not yet finalised. The most important element of this is human experience: a solution is only good if it provides tangible assistance, and is not merely technology for the sake of technology. Our goal is to achieve more comfort and less mental load in everyday life.

At Vorwerk that means robotics which are not just developed in the lab, but also observed and tested in real situations. In the company’s own Experience Centre, customers experience early stages of new prototypes in everyday situations. There, it quickly becomes clear what reaction a robot elicits in people – whether they trust it or find it disturbing. The Experience Centre is a space where we are not only testing robotics, but also other topics and new ideas from product development. One example of this is the Cookidoo® Assistant. The bottom line is that every idea goes through the Experience Centre during the innovation phases – often even multiple times. This is how we incrementally refine our solutions and iteratively improve them on the basis of real customer feedback.

It is often the details that make the difference. Robots are considered appealing when their movements are calm and predictable, if they keep their distance and their presence is rather unobtrusive. If they move in a way that is frantic or illogical, on the other hand, they are quick to cause irritation. Translating these findings into a coherent product experience is a central component of the development work. Because if it is in a robot which is not accepted by people, even the best technology is rendered useless.

At the same time, in technological terms this subject is always pushing the boundaries of what is possible. That is why Vorwerk works with partners such as NEURA Robotics and NVIDIA to combine advances in artificial intelligence, simulation and robotics.

“I am constantly being surprised by working on robotics,” says Markus Friedel. “Precisely because it makes me realise time and again just how complex seemingly simple tasks – such as picking up a glass – really are. After all, what a human does without a second thought requires a robot to coordinate its sensors (perception), AI (the brain) and motor functions (movement) perfectly.”