Entrepreneurship researchers, businesspeople, and politics are discussing the opportunities and challenges of using AI
What opportunities does artificial intelligence (AI) offer for the Mittelstand? What framework conditions favor its application in companies? These questions were discussed today in Berlin by international entrepreneurship researchers together with representatives from SME policy and economy.
"To encourage the use of AI, I am convinced that we actively need to reach out to SMEs of all sizes and in all sectors. With our funding priority “Mittelstand Digital”, our ministry supports SMEs, the skilled crafts as well as start-ups on their way towards more digitalisation and improved cyber security. The nationwide network of Mittelstand-Digital Innovation Hubs provides entrepreneurs with practical information, qualification and targeted support. Since this summer, we have been shifting the focus of the network towards AI Use and AI-Readiness. Around 100 AI instructors based at the Innovation Hubs already offer special support on all issues relating to the use of AI – for beginners up to experienced users." said Holger Schlienkamp, Deputy Director General in the SME Policy Department within the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
The initiatives from the government are in the view of IfM President Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Friederike Welter extremely important to prevent the gap between global AI leaders and companies in Germany from widening further. Additionally, for instance, regarding ecological transformation, AI applications already play an important role for businesses today.
According to a recent survey by IfM Bonn, the number of companies using artificial intelligence is increasing. However, less than a third of the surveyed executives believe that they actually benefit from the use of AI: "Interestingly, family businesses use AI less frequently than management-led companies because they always first question the concrete benefits. However, those Mittelstand enterprises that have implemented AI report that they benefit not only in terms of higher productivity, optimized operational processes, and service quality but also particularly in customer acquisition and corporate management", reports Dr. Christian Dienes.
AI as an efficient catalyst
According to the research by Prof. Dr. Heiko Bergmann (University of St. Gallen), artificial intelligence can significantly help mitigate the effects of skilled shortages: "The results of our study indicate that, for example, start-ups that use AI require fewer employees. At the same time, they reach important milestones more quickly, such as securing initial funding." But it is challenging to distinguish between the AI-supported realization of cost-saving potentials and investor-related, supply-side effects that arise from the hype surrounding AI.
But not only in business enterprises but also in entrepreneurship research artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role, according to Prof. Dr. Jan-Philipp Ahrens (University of Duisburg-Essen). For example, AI can be used to calculate how sustainable family business are compared to management-led companies.
