Successful network for AI in medium-sized businesses: entrepreneurs in exchange!

Successful network for AI in medium-sized businesses: entrepreneurs in exchange!

In the dynamic world of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), there is growing interest in artificial intelligence (AI). At a recent network meeting, the potential and challenges of this technology were discussed in detail. Loud teltow-flaeming.de 56 participants, including 34 entrepreneurs, took part in the meeting. The need for orientation and exchange on AI in medium-sized companies is high - the focus was on practical applications and strengthening skills in an increasingly complex environment.

Markus Lahr from the Luckenwalde University Presence Office spoke about “Futures Literacy”, a central skill that is intended to help companies better manage uncertainties. This topic is particularly relevant because the VUCA world, which is characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, requires new ways of thinking. Together with AI literacy, which includes the critical use of AI technologies, strategic action in this environment should be promoted, as in an article by zfhe.at is presented.

Practical applications and workshops

As part of the network meeting, Bastian Prell from TH Wildau spoke about the practical application of AI in business. Specifically, he presented applications such as speech recognition for construction diaries, the use of drones for canal cadastres and generative knowledge management. A demonstration of an adaptive exoskeleton that can assist companies with lifting movements also generated great interest. Jonathan Grießl from Digitalwerk Werder presented further AI applications in knowledge management, including the structuring of documents and simple chatbots.

The importance of using technology responsibly was emphasized: data protection, ethics and employee involvement are the focus of developers and users. The Deloitte study shows that there is still a lot of catching up to do when it comes to AI implementation in German medium-sized companies, despite the promising opportunities in process automation and customer interaction, as an analysis shows deloitte.com is described in detail.

Challenges in medium-sized businesses

According to the Deloitte study, a majority of companies see AI as strategically unimportant and say they face challenges such as a lack of skills (65%) and implementation hurdles (52%). Nevertheless, 59% of respondents expect the importance of AI to increase in the coming years. Over 70% of respondents are service providers, underscoring the need to integrate innovative technologies into their business models to remain competitive.

The results of such a study and the organization of new workshops, as presented at the network meeting, make it clear that medium-sized companies urgently need support in order to meet the challenges of digital transformation. The creative exchange about AI applications and the improvement of the necessary skills are therefore essential for the future of local companies.