AI-Powered Robots Take the Field at GITEX 2025 to Showcase Smart Manufacturing

Visitors to the HPE stand at GITEX 2025 were treated to an unexpected sight: three small robots, dressed in mini football kits, dribbling and passing a ball across a green field marked with white lines. The playful display, however, had a serious purpose.

These AI-controlled robots, capable of recognizing and analyzing their surroundings to find optimal positions on the field, demonstrate the very same technology a leading automotive manufacturer uses to streamline car production. Built on abat+ and HPE NonStop technologies, the demo highlights how manufacturing is evolving in the era of smart, data-driven operations.

“We see more manufacturers, particularly in the automotive sector, adopting data-driven approaches to streamline complex production environments,” said Michael Langeveld, Head of Technology & Business Development for Emirates & Africa at HPE. “Smart systems like those provided by HPE and abat+ open new possibilities for process and quality improvements, cost reduction, and production flexibility. They provide a highly performant, scalable, reliable, and secure environment that empowers manufacturers to innovate — not just improving existing products, but creating entirely new ones that meet the demands of tomorrow’s customers.”

The HPE stand offered visitors a glimpse of the future of IT in action. From cheering on football-playing robots to exploring the power of the world’s fastest supercomputer, the exhibit combined high-performance computing with cutting-edge AI and robotics — offering more than a demo, but a vision of what tomorrow’s manufacturing and technology landscape will look like.