"Digital twins are no longer static tools that simply verify results after design is complete. They are now evolving into a core system that drives the design process itself."
In an interview with Seoul Economic Daily on the 9th, Ravi Kunju, senior vice president at Siemens, diagnosed that digital twins are emerging as critical infrastructure that will determine manufacturing competitiveness in the artificial intelligence (AI) era. In the past, digital twins simply replicated products and factories in virtual space to confirm outcomes, but they have now advanced to a stage that optimizes the entire process of design, production, and operation by combining real-time data with AI, he explained. Kunju leads product strategy and marketing for the simulation (SIM) division at Siemens Digital Industries Software (DISW).
"Whereas past digital twins were static models for verification after CAD design, today they are dynamic models that are continuously updated based on real-time data and high-performance computing (HPC)," Kunju said, emphasizing that manufacturing has entered the era of "Simulation Driven Design." In the past, simulations were run for fine-tuning after design, but now simulation actively drives the direction of the design itself.
He defined the essence of the digital twin as a "Living Model." This means the virtual space must reflect changes in product design or process environments in real time and evolve alongside them. As its core backbone, he pointed to the "Digital Thread," which weaves data into a single stream from conceptual design to manufacturing execution. "Without requirements, design, and production connected into a single data flow, it is impossible to manage complex engineering projects," Kunju asserted.
In practice, digital twins combined with AI are already producing significant results. Global automakers have shortened new vehicle development time by 67% using AI engineering technology and improved the speed of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) analysis by 100 times. In aerospace, AI-based reduced order models (ROM) have boosted avionics system reliability by 600% and cut composite material design time by 30%.
He cited "Agentic Automation" as the biggest change in manufacturing over the next five years. It is a structure in which AI agents perform repetitive tasks while human engineers focus on high-level problem-solving and strategic decision-making. "AI will not replace humans but will complement them by expanding their capabilities," Kunju said. "Factories will gradually evolve into intelligent ecosystems that predict and optimize on their own."
He also offered advice to Korean companies. He said that if Korea—which possesses world-class manufacturing capabilities in semiconductors, automobiles, shipbuilding, and batteries—fuses its field data and legacy experience with digital twin and industrial AI technologies, it will hold the assets to lead the next industrial revolution. "Global manufacturing stands at a major turning point," he said. "Korea already has both the necessary industrial foundation and excellent talent, so proactive investment that connects these to tangible business value and national industrial sovereignty is important."
