ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — One of Northeast Wisconsin’s biggest employers showed off its new multi-million-dollar innovation space called The Grove on Wednesday.
Trucking company Schneider National will be using this space to test new technologies in artificial intelligence, collaboration and more.
“I sincerely believe we will define here in Green Bay, the future of freight mobility, and The Grove is the first step to be able to set out on that journey,” says Shaleen Devgun, Schneider’s executive vice president and chief innovation and technology officer.
The Grove is located south of Schneider’s existing headquarters building in Ashwaubenon.
“The world around us is changing, tech is playing a much bigger role,” Devgun says. “Our vision is to be able to unveil the future of transportation and the future of freight mobility.”
Brian Stuelpner, vice president of strategy, planning, and architecture, explains that Schneider has already been experimenting with AI, and plans to take it a step further at this new facility.
“Taking the work that our associates maybe don’t want to do, the mundane repetitive tasks and getting the machines to do that,” says Stuelpner.
Stuelpner says the main tasks of AI will be in analyzing data.
“Things like responses to emails, looking at information, lots of information, and coming up with recommendations on decision making, using it to better interact with our partners, with our shippers, and really remove a lot of the friction that exists today,” says Stuelpner.
Although Schneider will be using and testing new technologies here at The Grove, officials tell us there is no concern for current employees’ jobs.
“People look at technology in terms of role eliminations; we look at technology in terms of role maximization,” says Devgun.
“I’m hopeful that AI actually creates more jobs, as we think of the training that has to occur with it, the development of the technologies,” says Stuelpner.
Stuelpner says the company will be using its normal metrics to ensure the AI technologies are helping.
“How does our revenue go up, how do our earnings go up, and even things like employee satisfaction,” says Stuelpner.
Aside from technology, this space will be used by many different employees.
“We have one experienced curator that works here full time, and everyone else comes for a specific intent, so there is a project or there’s an event,” Stuelpner says. “No one really lives here at The Grove, but lots of people should work here.”
