Systems Engineering in the Age of Non‑Determinism: From Digital Twins to Agentic Engineering
Modern engineering faces a fundamental shift: increasing system complexity, interconnected ecosystems, and the growing use of AI introduce a new reality of non‑determinism. Traditional engineering approaches, built on predictability and control, reach their limits.
This keynote explores how Digital Enterprise concepts like Systems Engineering, Digital Twins and industrial-grade AI enable organizations to navigate this new landscape. At the core lies a connected data foundation – combining Digital Twins, knowledge graphs, and AI – that transforms fragmented data into contextualized, actionable intelligence.
Building on this foundation, engineering is able to evolve towards adaptive, fast, and sustainable systems where engineering processes integrate product, production, and service across the full lifecycle.
Finally, the keynote outlines how agentic AI and human‑AI collaboration will fundamentally change the role of systems engineers – from designing systems to orchestrating intelligent, hybrid engineering ecosystems.
Nico Michels, a mechanical engineer and systems engineer from Hanover, has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the strategic development and successful implementation of digital transformations in international manufacturing companies. As a long-standing top manager, he has held operational responsibility for complex, globally distributed engineering, production, and IT systems. He is actively involved in innovative research projects with industry, academia, and politics, and serves as a speaker and lecturer in product development and digitalization. Since December 2022, he has been Managing Executive for Digital Enterprise at Siemens Digital Industries Software, where he advises and supports board members and top management in digital transformation initiatives. His strategic and operational focus lies on a holistic, systemic approach and strong collaboration within an international ecosystem.