Automation: the leading response to workforce shortages

How is your organisation balancing automation, AI and workforce development? Dutch businesses are increasingly turning to AI and automation to address labour shortages.

Recent Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) data shows that automation has become the most frequently chosen response to workforce shortages (read the report report). That raises an important question: are we replacing people, or empowering them?

At Do IoT Fieldlab, we see this as an opportunity to empower people with better tools. The real challenge is not only adopting AI for the sake of efficiency, but implementing it in a way that increases human capabilities, and eventually improves productivity.

More related news

In the media

Delft at the top of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Index

Delft and Westland once again top the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Index, retaining their position as the strongest ecosystem for entrepreneurship in the Netherlands in the tenth edition of the ranking. This position has been held since the index was launched.

In the media

South Holland as the innovation engine of the Netherlands

South Holland has everything it takes to be the innovation engine of the Netherlands. But that position is not a given. Recently Economic Board Zuid-Holland published this position paper, and Do IoT Fieldlab couldn’t agree more.

In the media

Visit by the State Secretary

Recently, Willemijn Aerdts, State Secretary for the Digital Economy and Sovereignty, visited the National 6G Testbed location in Delft.

Events
In the media

Press release: Launch of FNS Testbed

Today, the National 6G Testbed officially goes live. This initiative offers Dutch SMEs and startups the chance to develop, test and validate 6G applications under realistic conditions – well before the future rollout of 6G. The testbed includes the latest mobile communication infrastructure and is embedded in a network of five regional 6G Field Labs. These technologies go beyond 5G and form the foundation for the development of 6G. The programme is part of Future Network Services (FNS), for which TNO acts as lead partner.

In the media

Do IoT Fieldlab joins Economic Board of Zuid-Holland

On 22 September 2025, Do IoT Fieldlab had the honour of joining Het Diner at The Green Village, organised by the Economic Board Zuid-Holland (EBZ), as one of the 150 key players from South Holland. Femke Brenninkmeijer, Chair of the EBZ, opened the event by offering a toast with Do IoT Fieldlab’s tele-operated robot.

In the media
Team & Organization

Opening of the House of Robotics and AI, Data & Digitalisation

Thursday, 11 September 2025 called for a celebration! Together with Mondai and RoboHouse we proudly unveiled our brand-new home: the House of Robotics and AI, Data & Digitalisation.

In the media

Do IoT Fieldlab on the radio

At Do IoT Fieldlab, everything revolves around wireless communication. But last Friday it took a different turn… instead of experimenting with radio signals, we were the ones on the radio.

In the media

Do IoT Fieldlab in the media: Smart Dutch Greenhouses

At Tomatoworld in the Westland area, robots pick and scan tomatoes, UV light fights fungi, and sensors capture real-time data on every plant at this very moment.