Published by Trends – 13 February 2026
An-Sofie Van Parys, CEO of Ansomat, was recently featured in Trends Talk, where she shared her vision on the future of manufacturing, automation, and the essential role of people in the smart factory.
At Ansomat, we believe that the future of Industry 4.0 is not about replacing people with robots, it is about empowering operators with smart digital tools.
Industry accounts for 25% of global employment, meaning one in four people worldwide works in manufacturing. According to Van Parys, fully robotized factories are neither realistic nor economically sustainable.
While automation continues to evolve, Ansomat focuses on strengthening the human role in production environments through intelligent operator guidance and digital work instructions.
Modern manufacturing is becoming increasingly complex. From automotive to high-mix, low-volume production environments, customization and product variants are growing exponentially.
Some manufacturers manage over 100,000 product variations, a level of complexity that cannot be fully automated.
“People have the ability to multitask and adapt quickly. That flexibility is not so straightforward in fully automated factories.”
Ansomat’s software solutions are designed specifically for these high-complexity production environments, where operators need real-time guidance, error reduction tools, and intuitive digital workflows.
As a Belgian technology company with customers worldwide, Ansomat sees clear differences between regions.
Belgium may be conservative, but it benefits from a strong ecosystem of technology players and industry organizations supporting digital transformation. There is growing awareness within the manufacturing sector that digitalization is no longer optional, it is essential.
While artificial intelligence, robotics, augmented reality, and smart glasses regularly dominate industry headlines, Ansomat prioritizes practical usability on the shop floor.
“In its current form, you cannot wear smart glasses for eight hours straight. A projector that displays instructions directly onto a workstation is far more accessible and less disruptive.”
Instead of focusing on hype technologies, Ansomat develops operator-friendly smart factory solutions that integrate seamlessly into daily production processes.
Ansomat is a Belgian software company specializing in:
Our mission is to bridge the gap between automation and human expertise, enabling manufacturers to improve quality, reduce errors, and maintain flexibility in increasingly complex production environments.
The full Trends Talk interview with An-Sofie Van Parys is available via Trends and Trends Z.
