SKF technological and service expansion

SKF is expanding its technological offerings and service models through new hardware and marketing initiatives. The company introduced the SKF Core platform, developed with Sentea, which uses fiber optic sensors to provide real-time data on machine conditions such as temperature and vibration. This technology is intended to facilitate a shift from reactive to predictive maintenance. In its aftermarket division, SKF is transitioning from supplying individual parts to providing complete repair solutions, including specialized tools and training, to address the complexities of modern vehicle electrification. To promote its frictionless magnetic bearing technology, which aims to reduce global energy consumption by eliminating friction in industrial machinery, SKF has launched a global campaign featuring a digitally recreated Greta Garbo. Using artificial intelligence, the company brought the iconic actress back as the face of the initiative, having received authorization from her family. To avoid copyright complications with archival imagery, the digital likeness was generated using text prompts and various AI tools, including ByteDance’s Seedream 5 Pro, Nano Banana Pro, Google’s Gemini Nano Banana Pro, Seedance 2.5, and Kuaishou’s Kling AI. The voice was trained on audio from one of Garbo’s early films, with a human actor assisting in refining the rhythm and cadence. In the advertisement, the AI-generated Garbo notes that one of her first jobs was for SKF and she is now returning for her last. Following the release of the 99-second advertisement, one of Garbo’s heirs, Craig Reisfield, stated he was “flabbergasted” by the lifelike quality of the recreation, adding that he would not rule out the possibility of a future AI-assisted film appearance for the actress. Addressing the fact that approximately 20 percent of global energy is consumed to overcome friction in industrial processes, SKF is reintroducing a financial model originally pioneered in 1919.