Featured
Artificial Intelligence
Burkhard Boeckem, CTO At Hexagon, On Advancing Autonomous Systems Through Precision Intelligence
Share
Overview
Here is a small introduction to Burkhard Boeckem:
Burkhard Boeckem is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Hexagon, where he leads the company’s innovation goals for a future shaped by autonomy, robotics, and spatial intelligence. Burkhard leads Hexagon’s technology evolution toward autonomous systems, integrating artificial intelligence, edge computing, LiDAR, and 5D digital twin capabilities into scalable technology platforms that support complex industrial ecosystems. Most recently, Burkhard started and set up the team that developed the company’s first humanoid robot, AEON, built for industry, launched in June 2025.
He also dives into leadership philosophies from balancing analytical rigor with empathy to creating psychological safety for innovation and outlines how CTOs can build conditions where autonomous teams and autonomous technologies thrive.
Read the Q&A to know more.
TD Editor: Many companies chase AI adoption without foundational digital maturity. What’s the cost of skipping that groundwork?
Burkhard Boeckem: Without a solid foundation of clean, connected, and contextualized data, AI will amplify noise instead of insight. The result is inefficiency disguised as progress. That includes models that hallucinate, decisions that lack traceability, and teams that lose trust in the technology. At Hexagon, we’ve learned that digital maturity isn’t about collecting more data; it’s about measuring reality precisely and connecting the physical and digital worlds seamlessly. When you get that right, AI becomes a true accelerator of performance and sustainability, not a distraction. Skipping that step turns a shortcut into a very costly detour.
TD Editor: How can emerging technologies reshape industries where safety, precision, and sustainability must coexist — not compete?
Burkhard Boeckem: For decades, safety, precision, and sustainability were treated as trade-offs. Today, when you connect real-world data with intelligent systems, they actually reinforce one another. Technologies like digital twins, robotics, and AI make that possible. In mining, manufacturing, and construction, for instance, real-time data and reality capture help predict equipment failures before they become dangerous. Robots and autonomous systems can operate in hazardous environments, keeping people safe. At the same time, these technologies optimize material use, reduce emissions, and minimize rework. When you design systems to see the full picture of people, assets, and their environment, you don’t have to choose between safe, precise, and sustainable—you get all three.
TD Editor: How does a CTO lead innovation when the technology curve moves faster than organizational risk tolerance?
Burkhard Boeckem: The CTO’s job isn’t to manage innovation; it’s to design the conditions for innovation to thrive. That means building psychological safety, small cross-functional teams, and protected spaces where experimentation is expected rather than punished. Risk tolerance grows when people trust the process. You start with small, fast-moving squads that can test, fail, and pivot quickly. Over time, their success stories rewrite the company’s DNA. In parallel, you put in clear guardrails around security, ethics, and compliance, so experimentation is responsible. Leadership’s role is to remove friction, not add layers of approval. That’s how you keep pace with change without breaking the system.
TD Editor: If every industry becomes data-centric, how do we ensure that insight, not information, becomes the ultimate competitive edge?
Burkhard Boeckem: At Hexagon, we see the world through the lens of precision intelligence: using real-world data to make smarter, faster, more sustainable decisions. AI helps us process billions of signals, but human expertise gives that data meaning and purpose. The best systems are those where machine intelligence and human intuition continuously refine each other. In the end, the goal isn’t to collect more information; it’s to deliver the right insight at the right moment to the right person. The companies that win won’t just be data-driven; they’ll be truly intelligent.
TD Editor: How does a CTO balance the analytical mindset required for engineering with the empathy needed to unlock creativity?
Burkhard Boeckem: The most elegant solutions come from understanding the human challenge behind the technical problem. Empathy is central to engineering; it’s what makes our solutions genuinely human-centered. As leaders, we need to listen to engineers, customers, and even the systems themselves. Creativity thrives where people feel safe to challenge assumptions, ask questions, and admit uncertainty. That’s why psychological safety is a precondition for innovation. When you pair rigorous analysis with curiosity about people’s needs, you unlock solutions that are both technically brilliant and deeply usable.
TD Editor: How do you decide when to let teams self-organize versus when to intervene as a leader?
Burkhard Boeckem: I intervene only when alignment is at risk. Innovation depends on autonomy, and teams need real ownership to move fast, experiment, and adapt. My responsibility is to set clear north stars: the vision, the values, and the boundaries that keep us on mission. Within that framework, teams can and should self-organize. When I step in, it’s usually to remove an obstacle or clarify the why, not to micromanage the how. The paradox of leadership in innovation is that the less you dictate, the more you enable. In complex environments, trust scales better than hierarchy.
Wed, Dec 3, 2025
Liked what you read? That’s only the tip of the tech iceberg!
Explore our vast collection of tech articles including introductory guides, product reviews, trends and more, stay up to date with the latest news, relish thought-provoking interviews and the hottest AI blogs, and tickle your funny bone with hilarious tech memes!
Plus, get access to branded insights from industry-leading global brands through informative white papers, engaging case studies, in-depth reports, enlightening videos and exciting events and webinars.
Dive into TechDogs' treasure trove today and Know Your World of technology like never before!
Disclaimer - Reference to any specific product, software or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by TechDogs nor should any data or content published be relied upon. The views expressed by TechDogs' members and guests are their own and their appearance on our site does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by TechDogs' Authors are those of the Authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of TechDogs or any of its officials. While we aim to provide valuable and helpful information, some content on TechDogs' site may not have been thoroughly reviewed for every detail or aspect. We encourage users to verify any information independently where necessary.
Trending Discover Dialogues
Sara Hillenmeyer, VP Of AI & Data Science At Payscale On Building Fair, Explainable, And Decision-Ready Compensation Intelligence
Burkhard Boeckem, CTO At Hexagon, On Advancing Autonomous Systems Through Precision Intelligence
Sangeet Kumar, Co-founder And CEO Of Addverb On Industry 5.0 Playbook: From Automation To Adaptation
Greg Young VP Cybersecurity & CorpDev, Trend Micro On Beyond Firewalls: Culture, Clarity & Resilience
Lakshman Arthimalla, Director – Data And Analytics At YASH Technologies On Unlocking Enterprise Intelligence With SAP BDC
Join Our Newsletter
Get weekly news, engaging articles, and career tips-all free!
By subscribing to our newsletter, you're cool with our terms and conditions and agree to our Privacy Policy.
Join The Discussion