The miller’s view 

What can AI do for me?

New technology needs to prove its worth. We asked Stefan Birrer, Head of Milling Solutions at Bühler and a trained miller, what benefits he sees in digitalization and AI. How do these tools help millers meet the challenges they face today, and how do they support the industry in providing the world’s growing population with delicious, nutritious, and affordable daily bread?

Janet Anderson, September 2026

What benefits do digitalization and AI bring to milling?  

The fundamental challenge for milling is that we work with a raw material that is a natural product. The key characteristics of our raw material fluctuate from season to season and batch to batch. This means that defined settings on machines are not always optimal – they do not always lead to the desired outcome. A skilled operator can judge this. But in many places, it is difficult to find enough people with the right skills and experience to keep the operation going 24/7. This is where automation comes in. But for an automation system to be as skilled as a skilled human, it needs assistance to see the variation in detail and make fine adjustments. Digital tools enhanced with AI help the automation system analyze if the settings really are the best for the actual raw material going through the mill at every moment.

What impact does this have on the business? 

There are many possibilities. For example, for some millers, wheat quality is defined by its protein range. It is important for the miller to get the right protein range that their customers require. But protein levels vary. The digital tool with AI can analyze the real protein level coming in and adjust the blend accordingly. In standard automation, the recipe is based on average levels. If that average does not exactly reflect the actual protein level, the miller might be giving their customer a more valuable flour without being able to charge for it. This can translate into a loss of money. In the worst case, the miller’s customer might not be able to handle higher protein flour, and his product may come out faulty.  

How do AI tools help to reduce costs?

Digital tools help ensure not only that the product achieves the required quality, but that the process is more efficient. An AI-enabled system can constantly adjust so that it uses the least energy and the lowest cost ingredients necessary to hit the nail on the head. Given the scale of production at some mills today, digital tools are indispensable. If you are running a large-scale operation, many times with multiple lines 24/7 on one site, it would require many skilled millers to manage the process adjustments. 

Does AI have benefits mainly for larger mills? 

Not at all. Many smaller mills run a lean operation. For these, digitalization and automation mean the difference between running the mill or having to stop because they do not have the skilled personnel for night shifts or weekends. Also, for a small mill to defend its market position against the big players, maximum performance and profitability are key.

The human is not taken out of the process but given time to focus on higher value tasks.

Stefan Birrer,
Head of Milling Solutions at Bühler 

How does the investment pay back?

The calculation depends on each mill’s circumstances – it is a question of how much more efficient it makes the operation, and how much it reduces costs by. How quickly it pays back depends on whether the mill is running or not. Investments in existing mills tend to pay back faster when assets are running at full capacity. We have seen that the return on investment in under two years is a common experience. The speed of payback also depends on how long operators need to adapt to the new ways of working and the new processes. There are multiple factors and steps in the investment and returns journey. We define these together with the customer at the beginning and accompany them at every step.  

How does AI change the job of the miller? 

In a traditional plant, the operator is fully concentrated on trying to balance production on the machines. In a mill with digitalization and automation, the machines produce according to a plan, and the operator only has to be involved if parameters are outside the planned range. This frees the miller to take care of other important tasks, like solving their customers’ issues. The human is not taken out of the process but given time to focus on higher value tasks. It’s similar in aviation – in the early days, pilots could only fly during the day when they could see. Today, planes start and land by themselves. But there are still two pilots so that if a parameter comes up that is not foreseen, they can take over control to bring the plane back to the right environment until the automation can take over again. Millers today are like pilots – they judge the situation and take over only in unusual situations. 

What is the best way to approach digitalization and AI?

When you are exploring something new, you don’t know what to expect. You can prepare for what you think might happen, but you also have to adapt your decisions based on what you find. It is like pioneering. You have to take one step at a time, look back, and decide if you are going in the right direction. We know that millers are exploring and our job is to help them understand for themselves which tools deliver the best outcome for each of their individual circumstances. Milling has always played a central role in our food systems. AI enables millers to find the optimal solution across so many variables all the time, supporting them in providing an important part of the nutritional needs of the world’s population.  

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