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A conversation withAnnika ÖlmeChief Technology Officer, SKF Group Executive Conversations ANNIKA ÖLMEChief Technology Officer SKF Group USINGTECH TO REDUCEFRICTION Annika Ölme is Chief Technology Officer and SeniorVice-President Technology Development for theSKF Group. Annika is responsible for research,Technology Development, product development,and technology strategy globally. She is a memberof group management at SKF; a board memberat Denmark-based GRUNDFOS, the largest pumpmanufacturer in the world; and Chair of the JacobWallenberg Foundation, which supports research inmaterial science. In 2024 Fortune named Annika asone of Europe’s 20 most influential Women in Tech.She is based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Can you help us give anoverview of SKF? Founded in 1907, SKF is a world-leading provider of innovativesolutions that help industries becomemore competitive and sustainable.Reducing friction is the core of whatwe do. Our offering around therotating shaft includes bearings, seals,lubrication management, conditionmonitoring, and services. By makingproducts lighter, more efficient, moredurable, and more easily repaired,we help our customers improve theirrotating equipment performance andreduce their environmental impact.We operate in around 40 differentindustries across 130 countries, rangingfrom wind power and gearboxesto pulp and paper and metals.Increasingly, we focus on intelligentsolutions that combine our expertise inrotating equipment with data and AI topredict and prevent failures, improvingboth performance and sustainability. Annika ÖlmeChief Technology OfficerSKF Group As CTO, what is your role in transforming SKFwith technology? As CTO, my role includes defining and delivering the overall technologystrategy and our digital transformation. We want to reimagine rotation fora better tomorrow, and this is intertwined with our ‘intelligent and clean’strategy. Apart from resolving our customers’ issues, and continuing togrow our capabilities, I spend a lot of my time on building a tech-fueledfuture that will set us apart from the competition. A key aspect of my role isfostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, both internally and withexternal partners. SKF AND EMERGING TECH When it comes to emergingtechnologies, what do you seeare the top technologies thatorganizations should watchout for? AI continues to befront and center,with organizationslooking beyondhigh-risk‘moonshot’projects to morepragmatic, scalableapplications,underpinnedby robust AIinfrastructure. " Clearly, technological disruptions,climate change, and economicinstability are shaping the businessenvironment in 2025. From atechnological standpoint, four trendsstand out. First, organizations willcontinue to focus on digitalizationto drive operational efficiency andtransform the customer experience.Second, AI continues to be frontand center, with organizationslooking beyond high-risk ‘moonshot’projects to more pragmatic, scalableapplications, underpinned by robust AIinfrastructure. Within this AI landscape, quantum-inspired techniques, while still nascent,hold promise for long-term advanced simulations and optimization.Finally, sustainability remains a defining driver of business strategy, asclients increasingly demand energy-efficient, circular solutions that reduceenvironmental impact. Taken together, these trends emphasize the needfor a flexible innovation strategy to help companies remain competitive ina rapidly shifting landscape. Let me expand on some of the key technologytrends. QUANTUM-INSPIREDTECHNIQUES, WHILE STILLNASCENT, HOLD PROMISEFOR LONG-TERM ADVANCEDSIMULATIONS ANDOPTIMIZATION Artificial intelligence and Generative AI Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming our daily lives. Generative AI (GenAI) is becoming an essential tool for organizations looking to thrive in anincreasingly complex and fast-paced world. In 2025, organizations willfocus more on adopting and integrating AI-enabled technology into theiroperations, as well as intensifying training to develop AI-ready employees.With technology touching so many different parts of the business, aclear understanding of the evolving AI landscape – including robust AIinfrastructure – will be the key for organizations to explore its full potentialand identify new revenue sources. Transition to smart manufacturing Advancements in Industry 4.0 technologies, the Industrial Internet of Things(IIoT), and continued progress in faster computing power will acceleratethe shift towards smart manufacturing. This means more AI, better datagovernance, and an intensified focus on security, offering advantagesin terms of optimizing production schedules, reducing downtime, anddriving operational efficiencies. Such benefits resonate strongly acrossmanufacturing and industrial sectors. Cleaner data will be the new gold standard. Today, organizations use data insights in near real time to improveoperational and financial performance and gain a competitive edge. The