The SkillAIbility consortium gathered on 7-9 October 2025 at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim for its second General Assembly. Project partners met to review progress, exchange insights, and co-create the next steps in shaping the Industry 5.0 vision: an industry where technology adapts to humans, not the other way around.
Progress across Work Packages
The assembly opened with presentations from all partners, offering a comprehensive overview of achievements and milestones across the project’s eight Work Packages.
- Work Package 1 on Coordination reported that SkillAIbility is well on track, with all deliverables submitted as planned and KPIs steadily progressing. The project has already reached key milestones, setting a strong foundation for the next phases of validation and piloting.
- Work Package 2 on Research and analysis showcased progress on understanding global megatrends shaping the future of work, from demographic change and green transition to skill gaps and diversity. The team also shared ongoing work on the SKillAIbility Framework, defining core concepts such as learning factories, sandboxes, and human-technology interaction pathways.
- Work Package 3 on Human-centric assessment presented methodologies for assessing human-technology integration. Using personas, roadmapping, and scenario design, partners are identifying how AI and automation can empower workers while addressing inclusivity, empowerment, and augmentation.
Co-creation and learning factories in practice
The second day focused on interactive workshops and collaborative design sessions. Partners joined a hands-on session led by the University of Groningen (RUG) under Work Packahe 6 on Piloting and validation, exploring the setup of use cases and the design of inclusive learning factories. Using the Learning Factory Canvas, participants co-created scenarios that reflect the diversity of workers in manufacturing — including novice, ageing, or disabled employees — ensuring that future training models remain accessible, adaptive, and human-focused. The lively discussions underscored a central theme of SkillAIbility: creating learning environments where every worker can thrive in collaboration with technology.
Designing human-centric AI
The final day was dedicated to a WP5 workshop organised by SINTEF, focusing on how to design AI technologies with humans in the loop. Participants explored the Echelonized Design Science Research (eDSR) methodology — a structured, iterative process for developing and validating AI systems that are practical, inclusive, and ethically aligned. Working in small groups, partners applied the methodology to SkillAIbility use cases, identifying design objectives, validation criteria, and key performance indicators to ensure that the AI systems developed in the project enhance, rather than replace, human capabilities.
Looking ahead: from research to real-world validation
The General Assembly also featured updates from:
- Work Package 4 on Training design: introducing a methodology to adapt Learning Factories and vocational education to Industry 5.0, emphasising empowerment, participation, and augmentation.
- Work Package 6 on Piloting : planning the next stage of pilot validation, with use cases being prepared across multiple European sites.
- Work Package 7 on Exploitation and policy: aligning SkillAIbility outcomes with EU skills policies, standardisation frameworks, and industrial adoption strategies.
- Work Package 8 on Communication and dissemination: strengthening the project’s digital presence and ensuring visibility of results across Europe’s research and policy communities.
Each discussion, workshop, and presentation brought the consortium closer to its shared goal, building a future of manufacturing that is inclusive, intelligent, and truly human-centric.
