Microsoft and Partners Launch AI Co-Innovation Lab Focused on Manufacturing
Microsoft Corp., in partnership with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), and TitletownTech, officially opened the AI Co-Innovation Lab on the UWM campus. This initiative marks Microsoft's first AI Co-Innovation Lab dedicated specifically to advancing manufacturing innovation.
The lab follows a year-long pilot phase where it operated temporarily at UWM, collaborating with several Wisconsin-based companies. These partnerships have produced AI solutions addressing practical challenges such as real-time fault detection in industrial machinery and multilingual voice assistants to optimize logistics operations like gate, dock, and yard management.
Applying AI Across Industries
While the lab's primary focus is manufacturing, it supports a broad range of organizations including startups, small and medium businesses, large enterprises, and academic institutions. This diversity reflects the combined networks and expertise of its founding partners. AI is positioned as a key driver for productivity improvements across all sectors, and the lab is set to help Wisconsin become a leader in applied AI innovation.
Voices from the Partnership
- Rima Alaily, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, emphasized the commitment to advancing manufacturing through AI, highlighting the lab’s role in providing access to advanced AI technologies and technical support.
- Missy Hughes, CEO of WEDC, pointed out the lab’s impact in helping businesses of all sizes integrate AI into daily operations, calling it a significant development for Wisconsin and beyond.
- Mark Mone, Chancellor of UWM, underlined the lab’s benefits for both industry and education, noting the opportunity it creates for students to gain practical experience while boosting manufacturers’ competitiveness.
- Craig Dickman, Managing Partner at TitletownTech, described the lab’s startup mindset—moving quickly with clear goals to deliver meaningful outcomes—and stressed the importance of AI fluency for maintaining a competitive edge.
How the Lab Operates
The AI Co-Innovation Lab offers hands-on collaboration to accelerate AI adoption. Companies partner with UWM or TitletownTech to identify impactful use cases and work directly with Microsoft engineers. The lab supports both full prototyping sprints—where working AI solutions are built using Microsoft’s cloud technologies—and design sessions focused on solution architecture and feasibility.
This flexible approach enables startups, manufacturers, and enterprises to get tailored strategic and technical support, helping them create new value, improve efficiency, and confidently develop AI-driven products and processes.
Positioning Wisconsin for AI Leadership
By providing access to advanced AI tools and expertise, the lab strengthens Wisconsin’s ability to compete in a global technology-driven economy. Microsoft continues its commitment to delivering AI platforms and solutions that respond to evolving customer needs while emphasizing responsible AI deployment.
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