Creating value with AI: Use cases on opportunities and challenges in the use of AI in companies

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to make operational processes more efficient, improve products or services and develop new business models. A current white paper from Plattform Lernende Systeme explores the question of how AI can be used successfully to create added value for companies, employees and customers. Using practical examples from various industries, the authors show how AI projects can address economic and social goals in equal measure and what role interdisciplinary collaboration plays in this.

Where traditional digital technologies reach their limits, artificial intelligence is increasingly opening up new possibilities. In the pharmaceutical industry, AI methods are helping to develop new medicines by predicting the influence of additives, for example. This saves researchers repetitive tasks and allows them to invest the time gained in higher-value tasks. In the manufacturing industry, AI-supported predictive maintenance can drastically reduce the failure rate of machines and minimise faulty material waste. Employees also benefit from this by being able to manage measures preventively and strategically. The use of AI has a positive effect on both the quality of products and the way employees work. The authors of the white paper "Mit KI Wert(e) schaffen. Eine Orientierung zum erfolgreichen KI-Einsatz in Unternehmen“ emphasise that successful value creation through AI in a company includes not only the economic perspective but also the user perspective and use real-life examples to show how AI applications are implemented.

According to a recent report by the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (EFI), 10 per cent of companies in the manufacturing sector and 30 per cent of companies in the information economy in Germany are already using or planning to use AI. This presents opportunities, but also challenges. 'These need to be overcome in order to increase the chances of a holistically successful AI application,' says Dr Corina Apachiţe, Programme Head Artificial Intelligence and Key Technologies at Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH and Co-Head of the Innovation, Business Models and Processes working group of Plattform Lernende Systeme. ‘In practice, the development and application of AI in companies will grow if companies promote an innovation-friendly environment and take into account economic goals as well as ethical and social aspects.’

Demonstrating the concrete benefits of AI

A qualitative survey of company representatives from various sectors, conducted by Plattform Lernende Systeme, shows that companies, customers and employees have different expectations and hopes for the use of AI. To ensure that these expectations are met in equal measure, companies should ensure that experts work together in an interdisciplinary manner to create technological applications that solve specific problems, satisfy needs and create benefits - not only for the company, but also for employees. An innovation-friendly corporate climate can be created by using best-practice examples to demonstrate the actual benefits of a specific application in everyday working life and thus promote understanding and acceptance of AI among users. Processes can also be communicated transparently through open communication of the framework conditions, such as how data is used, what infrastructure is required or what expertise is needed to implement AI projects.

Overall, it is clear that AI expertise has developed significantly in the companies surveyed in recent years. The use of AI has also become more intuitive. In addition to specialist knowledge, such as in the field of AI engineering or machine learning, the critical and professional use of the technology in everyday working life also plays an important role. However, there are still hurdles to the use of AI: small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular continue to face major challenges, as they often do not have a sufficiently quantitative and qualitative database or the necessary financial resources to invest in the development of AI technology. In order to overcome this hurdle, SMEs should specifically improve their data infrastructure and gain access to advice, financial support programmes or innovation funds.

About the white paper

The white paper "Mit KI Wert(e) schaffen. Eine Orientierung zum erfolgreichen KI-Einsatz in Unternehmen" was written by members of the Innovation, Business Models and Processes working group of Plattform Lernende Systeme. The publication can be downloaded free of charge at this link.