Expert: SMEs are still at the beginning with AI

According to one expert, many SMEs in Saxony and Thuringia are still in the early stages of using artificial intelligence (AI). "Companies are working intensively on AI, but concrete implementation projects are generally still in their infancy," said Sebastian Gerth from the Saxony-Thuringia AI Hub. The economy is still in an orientation phase when it comes to AI.

Small companies and economic problems

One reason for this is the small-scale company structure in the two federal states. "There are few companies here that can simply employ one or two AI experts." However, the larger the company, the easier it is to implement projects. There are often also individual employees who have an interest in the topic.

The biggest obstacle, however, is the current economic situation. For many companies, it is currently difficult to estimate when an investment in AI will pay off. "But we are not currently in a situation where companies are simply trying things out." However, there are subsidies from public funds and content-related support as part of the AI hub.

Softening the pension wave

AI can also be used in some areas, for example to cushion the pension wave of the coming years. "AI can be used to technically map the knowledge of people who have been working on a machine for 30 or 40 years," said Gerth.

An experienced employee can tell whether all the settings on a machine are correct. If they are not, he hears this, for example, and adjusts the production parameters. An AI can now learn to optimally adjust the machine on its own if the problem occurs again.

Scepticism in companies

However, there is also skepticism among employees. "We were able to show in a study that production employees in particular are afraid that AI will have a significant impact on their work or even take their job," said Gerth. "But we are still a long way from an AI that can replace people. If we use AI today, it will be in a small sub-area."

It is more about supporting employees with AI. It is important that people perceive AI as a helper and not as a competitor. This is where management is needed to communicate the topic properly.

The Saxony-Thuringia AI Hub is an association of the SME Digital Centers in Ilmenau and Chemnitz. The federally funded project is a contact point for companies that want to find out more about AI or start their own projects. In March, for example, a series of online events for small and medium-sized enterprises will be launched.