German carmaker BMW plans to start making drivetrains for electric vehicles at a vast factory in Regensburg, Bavaria, later in 2021. Well before any new parts roll off the production line, the entire manufacturing process will run in stunningly realistic detail inside a virtual version of the factory. The simulation allows managers to plan the production process in greater detail than was previously possible, says Markus Grüeneisl, who leads production strategy at BMW. "We now have a perfect digital twin of our real-time production," he says. The simulation is part of BMW's plan to use more artificial intelligence in manufacturing. Grüeneisl says machine-learning algorithms can simulate robots performing complex maneuvers to find the most efficient process.

It's a question we ask too often of children – who legitimately should have no idea – and not nearly enough of adults. From jockeys to deer farmers, the Australian Census has all the details on how Australians make a living. Australians are working longer than ever before, but the idea of a job for life is dead. The typical worker will now have several jobs in their lifetime and the nature of those jobs is constantly evolving. On the surface, our economy appears to be in a process of slowly sanitising itself.