Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly common across industry; yet the application on the factory floor continues to present technical, organisational and operational challenges. To help address these challenges – from the acceptance of materials through to processing, assembly and finishing -INESC TEC has announced the first edition of the Artificial Intelligence on the Factory Floor training programme. The advanced training course will take place between September and November 2026 at iilab – INESC TEC’s Industry and Innovation Laboratory.
The programme aims to support companies in their digital transformation by applying AI to factory-floor operations, helping to improve efficiency, quality and operational control. This pioneering initiative seeks to translate the potential of AI into practical, deployable solutions that reflect the reality of manufacturing processes and day-to-day industrial decision-making, bringing scientific knowledge closer to the needs of industry.
Designed for production and operations managers responsible for developing and implementing factory-floor initiatives, including data analysis and process optimisation, as well as production, maintenance and quality engineers with operational responsibilities, and professionals interested in data analysis and digital transformation, the programme builds on INESC TEC’s experience after hundreds of innovation projects carried out in close collaboration with national and international industry actors. The training team includes Américo Azevedo, the programme coordinator, who leads INESC TEC’s industry business development activities and is one of Portugal’s leading experts in digital transformation, production systems and Industry 4.0.
“At INESC TEC, we believe that digitalisation and the use of AI in industrial operations can become a key differentiator in strengthening business competitiveness. This course will equip participants with practical skills to implement AI in addressing the genuinely challenging problems companies face today,” explained Américo Azevedo, who is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto.
According to the programme coordinator, “despite the tremendous enthusiasm surrounding new technologies, and AI in particular, there is still a considerable gap between what the technology promises and what actually reaches the factory floor. Companies need to understand where AI can create value, which use cases are most relevant, and how these solutions should be implemented.”
To address this, the advanced training programme has been designed to explore methodologies, tools and use cases covering the entire industrial value chain, from data acquisition and analysis through to decision-making supported by intelligent systems. The course will also take place at iilab – INESC TEC’s Industry and Innovation Laboratory – a research and development infrastructure that provides a practical environment to explore, test and apply digital and analytical solutions across the industrial value chain.
Starting on 23 September and running over eight weeks, a multidisciplinary team of INESC TEC experts with wide-ranging experience in the industrial ecosystem will support participants in developing the skills required to implement Artificial Intelligence solutions in complex manufacturing environments, where technological, organisational and human challenges coexist.
“By the end of the course, participants will be able to identify and prioritise AI opportunities with the potential to improve productivity, quality and operational efficiency. They will also have a deeper understanding of data-driven decision-making and a practical view on both the potential and the limitations of AI on the factory floor,” said Américo Azevedo. He added that the real value of AI in industry lies not only in automating tasks, “but in the ability to support faster, better-informed decision-making, making factories more resilient, efficient and competitive.”
Over the past decades, INESC TEC has supported companies across a wide range of sectors in their digital transformation, contributing to the adoption of advanced technologies that improve efficiency, enhance process quality and strengthen competitiveness. One example is the Institute’s active involvement in large-scale initiatives, including projects currently being carried out under Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
Applications for the Artificial Intelligence on the Factory Floor training programme are now open. Places are limited, and applicants who register by 15 August will receive a 5% early-bird discount. Full information about the programme is available on INESC TEC’s website.
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