Vossloh, a leading company in rail infrastructure has developed the AI-platform EdChat in collaboration with synsugar to optimize tedious processes and increase employee efficiency. Inspired by the company’s founder Eduard Vossloh, a personal AI-assistant in the form of the EdChat that combines practical improvements with a special connection to Vossloh’s roots came into being. The innovative solution facilitates procedures on a daily basis and provides new opportunities while at the same time allowing synsugar to create the foundation of what has become their core product, the AI Suite.

Artificial Intelligence at Vossloh: a new way to increase efficiency

Vossloh, named after the founder Eduard Vossloh, is a German company from Werdohl that acts internationally in rail infrastructure and network. Since its foundation in 1888, Vossloh has turned into a global actor with more than one thousand employees in 30 different countries whose rail fasteners are currently in use in over 85 countries. Given that Vossloh values sustainability and innovation, the useful implementation of Artificial Intelligence in everyday processes was a substantial goal.

Vossloh acknowledged the enormous potential of generative AI early on and aimed to provide all of its employees with this sort of technology to alleviate bureaucratic processes. So, why not just use ChatGPT, the software provided by OpenAI? Soon, the idea was faced with severe obstacles: neither is ChatGPT compliant with Vossloh’s internal data, nor does it meet the company’s standard in terms of security and protection of sensitive personal data. Therefore, Vossloh decided on a custom software solution that is hosted on its internal Microsoft Azure Cloud while simultaneously using modern LLMs. This is where the collaboration with synsugar was able to pick up.

The EdChat’s chat interface

Finding an individual solution through collaboration: the EdChat emerges

As a result of Vossloh and synsugar joining forces, the way was paved for a custom solution that realizes the company’s specific use cases precisely and efficiently in a secure environment. On the search for experts with ample knowledge and experience in the fields of data and AI, Vossloh came across synsugar. The mutual interest in innovation and synsugar’s expertise in data science and software-engineering presented a suitable prerequisite to go a new way and develop imaginative custom solutions together.

February 2024 marked the starting point of a collaboration between Vossloh and synsugar. After only one month, a first version of Vossloh’s very own and personal AI-assistant came about. Inspired by the company’s founder Eduard, or short, Ed, a name for this new assistant was quickly found: “EdChat”. The initial version required various iterations and can hardly be compared to the version that is currently in place, but it nevertheless created a base for a vision of the EdChat, which was then further clarified over time with the help of different tests. In the process of achieving this vision, both Vossloh and synsugar could quickly agree on the further development, as well as problems and how to solve them so that a custom AI-solution was taking shape in a mutual process. The introduction of the EdChat has already managed to accurately resolve bureaucratic and tedious processes, resulting in remarkable relief in daily tasks for the more than 1,000 users and leaving them with increased capacities for other important responsibilities.

"You can give my Co-Pilot license to someone else. I prefer the EdChat."

Employee in the purchasing department, Vossloh AG

Deceased founder represents the EdChat

The special relationship to and valorization of the software has not only unfolded through its practical advantages, but most importantly through the personal avatar that accounts for every question or problem the users approach him with as representative of/in place of the AI-software. On the basis of just one pixelated photo of the founder from the 19th century, precise prompting and several iterations finally generated an avatar that probably resembles the original Eduard Vossloh closely. This very personal connection to the company’s legacy and the possibility for employees to address the founder himself instead of a machine turned out to be a successful idea and an integral part of the collaboration through and through. Whenever there is an issue or an update in the software, users often contact synsugar with questions such as “Is it possible that Ed is on vacation? He does not respond anymore.” Thus, a company with rich tradition and history can honor its legacy while embracing innovation at the same time.

The only existing photo of deceased founder Eduard Vossloh from the 19th century (left) vs. the AI generated avatar Ed who represents the EdChat (right)

The EdChat as inspiration for the AI Suite for medium businesses

The collaboration with Vossloh, specifically the EdChat, has furthermore sparked the idea of developing their own product, the AI Suite, at synsugar. Particularly medium-sized businesses often show an interest in AI-solutions, but a lack of transparency regarding costs of software and infrastructure combined with uncertainty how AI can be successfully integrated in corporate processes hamper the access to such solutions.

The AI Suite therefore presents an opportunity to grant access to AI-technology for every employee in their daily processes at work. At the same time, the software is hosted on European servers and thus GDPR- and EU AI Act compliant to ensure data protection. Additionally, the AI Suite provides a chance to connect a company’s data securely with AI-models to access internal knowledge quickly and effortlessly. Specially trained and customizable AI-assistants furthermore support different departments, such as customer support, legal department or technical sales in their daily tasks.

"Our partnership is marked by professionalism and mutual trust. Together, we plan to develop a number of innovative ideas to establish Vossloh internally and externally as digital pioneer. I am looking forward to our future collaboration!"

Volker Jürgens, Corporate Head of IT, Vossloh AG

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