Overcoming AI hurdles successfully
5 barriers to why companies aren't using AI yet — and how to overcome them
Artificial intelligence is no longer just science fiction, but part of our everyday lives. It is in tools that we use every day and changes work processes, business models and entire industries. Nevertheless, only around 20 percent of companies in Germany are actively using AI. In our AI & Why podcast Host Simon Biela talks to Alex Dickmann from AI Villlage Hürth about what is currently preventing companies from using artificial intelligence. A recap of episode 1.
There is great interest, proof-of-concepts and MVPs are being tested, but the big breakthrough is often missed. While pioneers such as Continental or the Schwarz Group are already strategically exploiting the potential of the technology, many others are still hesitating — particularly in small and medium-sized companies. Deployment is not just a question of technology, but above all of culture, priorities and attitude. Five reasons come up again and again.
1. Fear of Technology
Many people associate AI with threatening scenarios from movies, machines that replace us, and concerns about their own jobs. Statements such as that by Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, who described AI as a “new way of life,” contribute to fascination but also to uncertainty. In reality, however, these are clever algorithms — tools that can relieve and support people. AI can take on monotonous and exhausting tasks, giving specialists more time for value-adding tasks. This is a decisive advantage, especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers. Anxiety often comes from ignorance. It helps to involve employees at an early stage, to give them the opportunity to experiment with the technology and to reduce fears of contact, for example through training or other offers. Getting started can be easy, for example by experimenting with well-known tools such as ChatGPT, Image Generators or Music AIs. Auch Continuing education offers, from day training courses to adult education courses to events such as AI Village Or at the Deutsches Museum Bonn, offer good opportunities to create points of contact.
2. Lack of Knowledge
Many companies simply don't know where and how to start. However, this should not be a reason simply not to do it at all. You don't have to be a machine learning engineer to use AI effectively. However, a certain level of competence in evaluating use cases is crucial. Companies benefit when they appoint internal ambassadors who pool knowledge and serve as contacts. The most important starting point is to start from the problem: What challenges do specialist departments have, which repetitive tasks take time? This often results directly Actionable AI applications, which in turn open the eye to further potential. Companies can also use the help of external parties, of whom there are numerous.
3. Uncertainty due to regulation
The upcoming EU AI Act Causes reluctance for many. On the one hand, it can create security, on the other hand, implementation is still unclear. Care should be taken in highly regulated industries, but in many areas of the company, applications can be tested without legal risks — such as in internal processes that pose no risk to people. Anyone who clarifies the legal issues in parallel with the project, instead of completely stopping the implementation, remains able to act. Regulation should not be seen as a brake, but as a framework within which you can work safely.
4th investment theme
Many companies believe that getting started with AI is expensive and risky. In fact, initial projects often start in a small five-digit range and models such as “Ki-as-a-Service” further lower the hurdle. Funding programs and free offers help you get started. The real problem is often not the budget, but the setting of priorities: Companies that attach great importance to innovation usually find ways to implement initial projects. If you start small and gain experience, you can scale deployment later and fully exploit the potential for efficiency improvements and quality improvements.
5. Convenience
The sentence “It always worked” is one of the biggest brakes on innovation. When day-to-day business ties up all resources, there is hardly any room for new approaches. To change this, we need a culture that promotes curiosity, allows experimentation and makes innovation visible. Formats such as Innovation Days, internal AI meetings or workshops help to get employees out of their usual working environment and introduce them to new technologies. The decisive factor is that there are people in the company who are interested in the topic and actively drive it forward — whether in management, in specialist departments or in specially created innovative roles.
Anyone who still regards AI as an optional topic of the future today risks losing touch. It is increasingly being integrated into the tools that companies already use, and is thus changing the rules of the game in competition. The start doesn't have to be big and perfectly planned — a first small step is often enough to pave the way. Reducing anxiety, building up knowledge, resolving legal issues pragmatically, making manageable investments and overcoming convenience: Anyone who tackles these five hurdles can turn AI into a real competitive advantage.
Hear yourself now Episode 1 of our podcast AI & Why And find out more about the current obstacles to the use of AI.
