SKillAIbility is new €3 million European research project aims to ensure artificial intelligence and automation benefit all workers, including people with disabilities and older employees in manufacturing jobs. This marks a significant step toward advancing human-AI collaboration in manufacturing, creating more inclusive workplaces.
The SKillAIbility project, led by Politecnico di Milano and bringing together 14 partners from 9 European countries, will develop new ways for humans and machines to work together effectively while putting workers’ wellbeing first, embodying the European Union’s Industry 5.0 vision. This initiative focuses on advancing human-AI collaboration in manufacturing to create more inclusive and sustainable workplaces.
“As AI and automation transform manufacturing, we need to ensure these technologies enhance human capabilities rather than replace workers,” says Monica Rossi, from Politecnico di Milano, project coordinator. “SKillAIbility will create training programs and technology design approaches that help workers adapt and thrive alongside new technologies, making Industry 5.0’s human-centric vision a reality.”
The timing of SKillAIbility couldn’t be more critical. With manufacturing facing a perfect storm of challenges – from severe labor shortages to an aging workforce and rapid technological change – there’s an urgent need to rethink human-AI collaboration in manufacturing. Current forecasts suggest that AI could impact up to 19% of the workforce, with manufacturing jobs particularly vulnerable to automation. Yet at the same time, European manufacturers report that 70% are struggling to find qualified workers, creating a paradox where automation threatens jobs while companies can’t fill positions. SKillAIbility addresses this contradiction by developing new approaches that make technology work for people, not against them, aligning with Industry 5.0’s emphasis on human wellbeing and sustainability.
The project will establish Learning Factories – realistic manufacturing environments where workers can gain hands-on experience with new technologies. Special attention will be paid to making these training facilities accessible to people with disabilities, including deaf workers. This innovative approach aims to enhance human-AI collaboration in manufacturing and bridge the skills gap.
Over the next three years, SKillAIbility will develop new ways to assess how humans and machines can best work together, create training programs that help workers build skills for working with AI and automation, design technology that adapts to human needs rather than the other way around, and provide policy recommendations to promote inclusive technology adoption
The project will leverage five testbed facilities across Europe to validate approaches, in Italy, Norway, Spain, and Greece.
SKillAIbility’s approach aims to increase employment opportunities by making jobs more accessible to a wider range of people, including those with disabilities who have historically faced barriers in manufacturing environments. By designing technologies that adapt to human needs and providing innovative training approaches, SKillAIbility could help create a manufacturing workforce where human-AI collaboration thrives, potentially leading to both higher productivity and better-quality jobs.
About the project
SKillAIbility is a pioneering €3 million Horizon Europe research project advancing human-centric approaches to AI and automation in manufacturing and unites 14 leading organizations across 9 European countries.
The SKILLAIBILITY project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101177783. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. This work has received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
