Experts discuss artificial intelligence in engineering

The “MLE Day 2025” on artificial intelligence (AI) in engineering took place at Hamburg University of Technology at the beginning of April. 75 AI experts from the university, Hamburg partner organizations and selected companies came together to exchange ideas and deepen their collaboration. The conference was organized by the “MLE” initiative of the TU Hamburg, which bundles engineering-relevant AI expertise in the metropolitan region. “MLE” spokesperson Prof. Nihat Ay summed up the “MLE Day” as follows: "We have explored the fundamental dimensions of AI use in order to drive forward the development of innovative technologies at TU Hamburg. The MLE initiative plays a central role in this."

In addition to important engineering applications, presentations also focused on the collaboration between humans and AI. MLE spokesperson Prof. Annika Eichler explained how AI is used to control the 3.4 km-long European XFEL X-ray laser at DESY in Hamburg. Its X-ray radiation enables the smallest structures such as molecules, viruses or cells to be photographed in detail in three dimensions.

Prof. Roland Aydin and FEHRMANN Materials X GmbH spoke about generative AI systems that greatly accelerate the development of new materials with tailored properties. Prof. Pierre-Alexandre Murena drew the bow to the interaction between humans and AI systems and showed how machine learning can be made collaborative and interactive for humans. Co-organizer Dr. Gregor Vonbun-Feldbauer said: “I was particularly pleased with the great posters with an impressive range of topics, two of which stood out and were awarded book prizes.”

About the initiative

The “MLE Day” was organized by the research initiative “Machine Learning in Engineering”, or MLE for short. With over 100 researchers, it aims to pool expertise in the field of artificial intelligence and provide impetus for technological progress in industry and business. In addition to the TU Hamburg, seven science and AI organizations from the Hamburg metropolitan region are participating in the initiative: DESY, the Helmholz Center hereon, AI.HAMBURG, AI.STARTUP.HUB, ARIC e.V., DASHH and the KIEZ OF COMPUTING & DATA SCIENCE.
Further information on the MLE initiative can be found at: https://www.tuhh.de/mle/