55,938 visitors and 1,175 exhibitors once again made SPS 2025 a key industry gathering. The proportion of international companies increased, and presentations on Industrial AI were particularly popular.

The Indian government has completely withdrawn the planned 'Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024'. The law would have created a new legal framework for machinery safety in India.

The new "Cyber Security Report 2026" from Check Point shows a significant increase in cyberattacks on German organizations by 2025. The education sector is particularly affected and is well above the national average.

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The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) will require all manufacturers of products with digital elements to implement comprehensive security measures from December 2027. After a thorough review of its technologies, Profibus & Profinet International (PI) has come to the conclusion that Profinet already provides the basis for CRA compliance.

Whether enormous computing power, ultra-precise sensors or cutting-edge encryption: quantum technologies promise ground-breaking applications. An international ranking by the think tank European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE) puts Karlsruhe, with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) as the central player, at the top of the list nationwide. The city is ranked seventh worldwide and second within the EU.

Trend Micro has tested more than 100 AI models and warns of legal, financial and reputational risks associated with the unregulated use of large language models. The results show some strong regional and temporal deviations in the issues.

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Fujitsu has announced the launch of a dedicated AI platform that will enable organizations to independently manage the entire lifecycle of generative AI - from optimal model development, operations and incremental learning to continuous improvement of models and agents. The platform will be rolled out gradually in Japan and Europe, with pre-registration for trial versions set to begin in February 2026.

After three weak years, the German electrical and digital industry expects real production growth of 2% again in 2026. Exports to Europe are stabilizing business, while customs duties, network expansion and AI regulation remain key challenges.

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The vision of the planned innovation center for artificial intelligence and quantum computing in Frankfurt is to bring future technologies into commercial application. Following the pre-opening of the center in collaboration with the start-up factory Futury, a further step has now been taken on the way to the planned opening in spring 2026: the appointment of Robin Schmidt as Managing Director by the House of Digital Transformation (HoDT), which is in charge of the project.

Change at the top of one of Europe's largest technology organizations: Prof. Dr. Christoph Kutter replaces the previous VDE President Alf Hendryk Wulf as VDE President. His presidency will focus on young people and the microelectronics of the future.

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) has developed a new assistant robot. Robotics researchers from the Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI) and designers from the Munich Design Institute (MDI) worked closely together to achieve this.

Schunk is bundling its activities in humanoid robotics by founding its own spin-off at the beginning of January. The aim of the new company is to develop modular humanoid robot hands for industrial applications.

The jury of the 'Robotics Award 2026' has announced the nominees for this year's award. The award recognizes companies that provide significant impetus for industrial development with innovative robot-assisted automation and logistics solutions. Three companies have made it onto the shortlist.

Weidmüller has received the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) certificate for its modular I/O system 'u-remote'. This makes u-remote the first modular I/O system with official CC-Link IE safety certification for CC-Link IE TSN.

James Love is the new Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) of Claroty, a specialist in the security of cyber-physical systems (CPS).

A recent report by IDTechEx analyzes the global market for service robots and examines key applications such as delivery and logistics robots, cleaning and disinfection robots, social robots, agricultural robots, kitchen and restaurant robots, underwater robots, search and rescue robots and construction and demolition robots.

Profibus & Profinet International (PI) announces the official release of the Module Type Package (MTP) Specification 2.0. The MTP 2.0 standard creates the basis for true cross-industry interoperability as well as more flexibility and efficiency in the planning, integration and operation of modular systems.

Yamaha Robotics Corporation has integrated its European office, the "Apic Yamada German Liaison Office (AGL)", into the European subsidiary of Yamaha Motor as of January 1, 2026. The new organizational model now combines the AGL with the "Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. German Branch Office, Robotics Business (YME)".

The World Economic Forum has recognized the Siemens plant in Nanjing as a Lighthouse Factory. The factory was recognized for its AI-supported, fully digitalized production and significant improvements in productivity, quality and sustainability.

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The founder and CEO of Neura Robotics, David Reger, is a new member of the board of the VDMA Robotics + Automation Association.