At the Open Innovation Kongress 2023 in Stuttgart, Paul Becker, head of KI Lab Heidelberg, presented the opportunities that artificial intelligence (AI) offers companies. In front of about 80 participants, Becker explained how companies can use AI technologies to optimize business processes and take advantage of new opportunities.

Becker emphasized that AI is not only relevant for large technology companies, but can also offer benefits to small and medium-sized businesses. He cited use cases such as the application of AI in production, customer service and data analysis.

When asked whether it is worthwhile for companies to use AI, Becker argued that despite the investment in technology and personnel, the long-term benefits outweigh the costs in increased efficiency, cost savings and competitive advantages.

Regarding collaboration with AI startups, Becker explained that such collaborations can make sense, especially for companies looking for specialized solutions without developing their own AI models. AI startups often provide ready-to-use AI models and assist in quickly collecting data and training the models. This saves companies time and money.

To enable collaboration with AI startups in as little as five weeks, Becker recommended the following steps:

• Define clear goals: Companies should define exactly what challenges they want to solve with AI and what results they expect.
• Identify suitable partners: Thorough research helps find suitable AI startups that can address the company’s specific needs.
• Quick decision-making: Short decision-making paths and open communication are crucial for making progress in a short time.
• Launch pilot projects: Smaller projects make it possible to test collaboration and quickly generate feedback before investing in more extensive initiatives.
• Measure and evaluate successes: Continuous evaluation of collaboration helps make successes visible and identify potential areas for improvement.

The Open Innovation Congress 2023 offered participants an opportunity to learn about current trends and technologies in the field of AI and to make valuable contacts.