AI AND ROBOTICS
AI GIVES ROBOTS A NEW LEASE OF LIFE
What impact has the adoption of technologies such as AI and machine vision had on the use of robots in the confectionery sector? Suzanne Callander reports
R
obots have long been a central element of automated solutions, but their capabilities have traditionally been limited by
their lack of flexibility and they have always had to operate within narrowly defined parameters, relying on pre- programmed instructions that do not easily cope with variation in their environments. The addition of artificial intelligence (AI) is changing this status quo by giving robots three important new capabilities – perception, decision-making, and adaptability. Together, these new capabilities have the potential to transform robots from being machines that simply execute predefined instructions into systems that can understand their environment, reason about what to do next, and improve over time. This shift enables a much wider range of tasks to be performed autonomously – even
in dynamic or unstructured environments. Machine learning algorithms allow robots to improve through experience, adapting to changes without requiring explicit reprogramming. An AI-enabled robot, for example, will be able to recognise and handle irregular packages, adjusting its grip and trajectory as needed.
Perception Advances in machine vision and machine learning are allowing robots to interpret complex visual and sensory information – from recognising the difference between different products through to detecting subtle defects that might undermine quality. Traditional robotic vision systems rely on tightly controlled conditions, AI-enabled robots, however, are able to cope with imperfect lighting, inconsistent product presentation and the natural quirks of real-world operation.
46 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025/26 As already mentioned, AI also gives
robots decision-making capabilities. Rather than following a static sequence, they are able to plan and re-plan their actions in response to changing conditions. Mobile robots navigating busy warehouses, for example, can adjust their route as obstacles appear, while manipulators can refine their grip when confronted with product variation. The result is a system that supports continuous production rather than halting whenever something unexpected occurs. Further, AI brings with it the capacity
for greater adaptability. By learning from performance data, robots can improve over time – optimising force, speed or trajectory to suit different materials or applications. AI is also changing the relationship between humans and robots. Natural-language interfaces and teach-by-demonstration tools have lowered the barriers to deployment,
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