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TECH EYE NOVEMBER 13, 2026 | The Indian Eye 39

AI is changing how INLEAP Photonics

expands
employees learn their jobs manufacturing
capacity for

laser-based drones
rtificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how em-
ployees learn and perform their jobs, prompting
Acompanies to rethink traditional training methods erman deep-tech company IN-
LEAP Photonics has opened
and redesign workplace roles. As AI takes over routine Ga new manufacturing facility
tasks, employees are increasingly expected to handle in Hanover, Germany, to begin large-
complex situations that require critical thinking, deci- scale production of its laser-based
sion-making, empathy and human judgement. drone defence systems, marking a
AI is automating the basic tasks that once helped
new employees gain experience and gradually develop significant step towards strengthening
Europe’s counter-drone capabilities.
their skills. Traditionally, employees started with sim- The facility will manufacture its FAST-
pler assignments, handled routine customer queries and LIGHT HELD (High Energy Laser
learnt from mistakes before moving on to more chal- Drone) systems, designed to detect,
lenging responsibilities. However, with AI managing track and neutralise small, fast-mov-
many of these tasks, new employees may have fewer op- ing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
portunities to build practical experience. The mobile defence system uses
It is observed that companies risk overlooking ac- artificial intelligence (AI) to identi-
tual employee training while focusing on transferring fy vulnerable points on a drone and
information through presentations, policy documents directs a high-precision laser beam
and assessments. As per experts, AI has automated what towards the target within seconds.
was once the starting point of learning a job, leaving less training methods such as simulations, role-playing exer- Mounted on an all-terrain unmanned
experienced employees to deal with complicated issues. cises and real-life problem-solving activities can help em- ground platform, the technology is
The changing nature of work also means organisa- ployees develop confidence and decision-making abilities. designed to protect military units,
tions must look beyond introducing AI tools and focus While AI can improve efficiency by handling repet- temporarily secured areas and critical
on redesigning jobs. With AI-led workplace transforma- itive work, human involvement remains important when infrastructure.
tion, businesses need to rethink employee responsibili- situations require emotional understanding, careful judge- The new production facility will
ties, identify tasks that require human involvement and ment or personalised assistance. operate through a six-station man-
prepare their workforce for evolving roles. The shift highlights that adopting AI is not just about ufacturing process based on the
Experts suggest that companies should allow em- automating tasks but also about ensuring employees con- one-piece-flow principle. Under this
ployees to understand the basics of their jobs before tinue to learn, gain experience and develop the skills need- system, each unit moves individually
moving them to advanced responsibilities. Practical ed to work alongside technology. through six coordinated production
stages without intermediate storage.
The company expects this approach
AI moves beyond assistance as businesses to reduce production time and allow
manufacturing capacity to increase in
response to rising demand.
gear up for autonomous enterprises ploys around 50 people, with plans to
INLEAP Photonics currently em-
increase its workforce at the Hanover
rtificial intelligence (AI) is agents could connect systems such as edge, organisations can develop AI facility to more than 100 by the end of
moving beyond chatbots and enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions suited to their operations 2027. The company has also started
Adigital assistants to a new and customer relationship manage- while protecting sensitive business handing over its first fully assembled
phase where intelligent systems could ment (CRM), helping coordinate information. FASTLIGHT HELD systems to its
independently manage business op- activities ranging from warehouse Meanwhile, OpenAI’s enterprise partner, defence technology com-
erations, coordinate workflows and operations to customer service. This AI strategy also points towards wider pany STARK, as production begins.
support decision-making across or- could improve efficiency and enable deployment of AI agents across or- According to the company, the
ganisations. The emerging shift to- faster, data-driven decisions. ganisations. Its approach focuses on expansion will help it meet larger cus-
wards autonomous enterprises is Another emerging development connecting agents with company sys- tomer orders and strengthen Germa-
expected to reshape how companies is the rise of personal AI agents, tems, data and everyday workflows ny’s domestic manufacturing capabili-
function, interact with customers and which could change how people so employees can delegate routine ties in advanced defence technology.
compete in the digital economy. access digital services. Instead of tasks and focus on more complex re- The facility’s inauguration was
As per experts, the next phase of switching between multiple applica- sponsibilities. attended by Lower Saxony Minis-
AI adoption will be driven by three tions, users may rely on AI agents However, experts caution that ter-President Olaf Lies, who high-
major developments: transformation to manage emails, research infor- greater autonomy must be supported lighted the importance of developing
of entire business functions, the rise mation, make recommendations and by strong safeguards, data security, home-grown security technologies and
of personal AI agents and the use of even complete transactions on their transparency and human supervi- creating industrial opportunities. The
enterprise-specific intelligence. behalf. sion. As businesses embrace AI-led company had also demonstrated its
The trend highlights that busi- The evolving trend underlines operations, building trust and ac- laser-based drone interception tech-
nesses are moving away from deploy- the growing importance of enter- countability will remain essential to nology in collaboration with the Ger-
ing AI for individual tasks towards prise-specific AI systems. By using ensuring that technological progress man Armed Forces’ Cyber Innovation
integrating it across departments. AI their own data and industry knowl- translates into sustainable growth. Hub under the ‘Laserdome’ project.

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