One robot after another swings its arms back and forth. Everyone is building a machine – this is now a familiar sight at the Passau company “AKE technologies”. High-tech systems and special machines are built here – especially for the automotive industry. The company has also been working with artificial intelligence (AI) since the beginning of 2023.
Trained in artificial intelligence
AI helps to program machines. “We simply started with text and image processing and thought: text programming is also language,” explains managing director Michael Schurm. That’s why it made sense to use AI in programming too.
For this purpose, the company brought in experts, received advice from universities and start-ups and trained employees. “Because in AI you always have the feeling that the new possibilities are overtaking you. It’s important to stay on the ball,” says Schurm.
Bavaria invests in AI
An attitude that Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) shares. On Tuesday evening at the Media Group Bavaria’s People in Europe event series, he discussed the question of whether AI is a blessing or a curse with experts from business and media. The group agreed: blessing.
“We’re not even close to understanding what the possibilities are. The simplest advantage is already clear: medicine. We all want to live forever. Our lives will be better with AI and the possibilities alone. I’d rather be there for Bavaria, create new jobs and want to take advantage of opportunities,” said Söder. He referred to the investment in universities and chairs. “We invest more in AI in Bavaria, based on the population, than Great Britain or France.”
Demand: AI in the curriculum
Praise came from Philipp Justus, the head of Google Germany. Bavaria is acting in an exemplary manner. But he also wants something to change in schools. Young people need to be prepared and trained to work with AI. The curriculum needs to be adjusted now. A conference of education ministers on the topic in five or ten years would be too late.
He also advocated for leaner regulations at European and state level. “We need sensible regulation for AI. We cannot allow such a technology onto the market completely unregulated. But regulation with a sense of proportion that enables innovation and does not keep it small or stifle it from the outset.”
13 percent of German companies work with AI
According to the Ifo Institute, around 13 percent of German companies used the new technology last year. Magdalena Rogl, who represented Microsoft on the podium, made it clear that it is not just tech companies that will need AI in the future: “In all professions there are areas that will be taken over by AI. And that’s wonderful. Because we have many activities in everyday life “It’s not about replacing entire jobs, it’s about looking at: Which repetitive tasks can the AI take over so that we have more time for human activities?”
Human creativity is more in demand than ever
Michael Schurm, managing director of the Passau company “AKE technologies” felt encouraged in his company’s course after the discussion: “We have to seize the opportunity,” he concluded. The 250 employees don’t have to worry about their jobs either. Despite AI, they are still needed, assures Schurm. “Humans will be the decision-makers, and human creativity is also crucial to being able to develop this potential.”
