WG 2: Future of Work and Human-Machine Interaction

Self-learning systems are changing our working environment fundamentally: Artificial Intelligence will support and relieve humans in areas such as manufacturing, regulatory work and social professions. There is reason to believe that jobs will be transformed substantially and that new skills are required. Cognitive, social and methodological abilities - such as independent learning, creativity, basic IT-knowledge or systematic thinking - are gaining in importance. Qualifying employees appropriately according to these new circumstances plays a key role. At the same time, humans will work even closer with machines through the use of self-learning systems. This will change our attitude towards technology profoundly. It is therefore crucial that the scientific advancement orientates itself towards the needs and abilities of us human beings.

Topics and organisation of the Working Group

The Working Group focuses on human-centred design of the future working world and on human-machine interaction issues (HMI). At the same time the Working Group serves as the interface between HMI and the area of Manufacturing and Industrie 4.0.

Elisabeth André

Matthias Peissner

Members of the Working Group

Prof. Dr. phil. Lars Adolph
Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Dr. Andreas Angerer
XITASO GmbH

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jan Christian Aurich
Technische Universität Kaiserslautern

Prof. Dr. Eva Bittner
Universität Hamburg

Klaus Bauer
TRUMPF GmbH & Co. KG (Holding)

Prof. Dr. Angelika C. Bullinger-Hoffmann
Chemnitz University of Technology

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Barbara Deml
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

Prof. Dr. Andreas Dengel
DFKI GmbH

Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Bauer
Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO

Dr. Marion Eberlein
Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA)

Dr. Jan-Henning Fabian
ABB AG Forschungszentrum Deutschland

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sami Haddadin
Technical University of Munich / Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence

Prof. Dr. Michael Heister
Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training

Dr. Norbert Huchler
Institut für Sozialwissenschaftliche Forschung e.V. (ISF München)

Dr. Nadine Müller
ver.di

Dr. Rahild Neuburger
LMU Munich

Pierre Prasuhn
Fraunhofer Gesellschaft

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Annika Raatz
Leibniz University Hannover

David Reger
NEURA Robotics GmbH

Nadine Reißner
KUKA

Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Christoph M. Schmidt
RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research

Katharina Schüller
STAT-UP Statistical Consulting & Data Science GmbH

Prof. Dr. Jochen Steil
Technische Universität Braunschweig, Gauss Robotics GmbH

Andrea Stich
Infineon Technologies AG

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sascha Stowasser
Institute of Applied Industrial Engineering and Ergonomics

Oliver Suchy
German Trade Union Confederation

Olivia Trager
Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände BDA

Prof. Dr. Uta Wilkens
Ruhr University Bochum

We have received written consent from the listed persons for the publication of their data in accordance with the DSGVO. This list of members is an excerpt and will be completed continuously.

Key Questions for the Working Group

Work and Skilling

Which benefit do self-learning systems have for employees and companies?
Which consequences do they have for the working environment (e.g. job market, work intensification, job profiles)?
Which branches or occupations are affected the most?
Which new expertise is required for employees, when dealing with self-learning systems? What could be resulting qualification approaches?
How do we define good and humane work in the time of AI?
How can we shape the transformation towards a digital working environment?

Human-Machine Interaction

How can we shape the role allocation between human and machine concerning human self-determination?
Which principles are necessary/ desirable (keyword: human-centred-design/ interfaces)?
How can we guarantee transparency, controllability, explicability, privacy and maintainability of self-learning systems?
What does the future hold regarding the development of human-machine-interfaces?