KMU Swiss Symposium: AI as potential or just a tool?
The SME Swiss Symposium 2024 took place on March 21 in Baden. Various speakers and a surprise guest took to the stage at the 20th edition of this important symposium for small and medium-sized enterprises. Moderated by Dr. Hugo Bigi and the CEO of KMU Swiss, Armin Baumann, the symposium offered an exciting insight into the current challenges and innovations that SMEs have to face when it comes to AI.
The central theme of the symposium was: "AI / Digital leads to a better world - or is it just a game changer?" Markus Schneider (City of Baden) opened the event with a welcome address.
"Digital but with heart and soul"
In the first block of presentations at the symposium, two leading figures provided insights into the opportunities and risks associated with technologization: Mark Ziegler, CEO of the Auto AG Group, shared an instructive experience about coping with a ransomware attack. Despite the incident, he emphasized the importance of raising employee awareness and a robust backup system for companies. Luzius Rickenbacher, EVP Aviation Interiors at Lantal, impressed the audience with the transformation of the company Lantal after the global shutdown of 2020. By investing in sustainability and tailor-made solutions for carpets, the speaker showed how tradition and innovation can be successfully combined, e.g. at "Swiss Airlines" or "Thai". Continuing with the panel discussion, Urs and Luzius Rickenbacher clarified their positive attitude towards AI as a supporting element, while at the same time emphasizing the importance of the human factor in the business. Their vision for the future: they have invested in their company, but they also want to make their company more sustainable.
Keep a chair free for the AI
The second block of presentations at the KMU Swiss Symposium 2024 provided fascinating insights into the world of artificial intelligence and its impact on the working environment. Dalith Steiger, co-founder of Swiss Cognitive, kicked things off with an inspiring speech about the opportunities and potential of AI in working life. She emphasized the need to use technology as a tool to improve work processes and create new opportunities. Matthias Mölleney, owner of the consulting firm peopleXpert GmbH, spoke about the use of AI in HR management. He highlighted both useful applications, such as support in personnel planning, but also potentially critical areas of application, such as monitoring employee communication.
In the subsequent discussion round with Sabrina Schenardi from BLP Digital AG, various perspectives were highlighted. Sabrina Schenardi emphasized the importance of being afraid of people who can use AI effectively, rather than being afraid of AI replacing jobs. Dalith Steiger highlighted that AI offers the opportunity to make the workforce more diverse, while Matthias Mölleney emphasized the need to be careful that AI does not learn incorrectly and pass this on to employees or employers. Overall, the speakers in this block of presentations showed the versatility and potential of AI in the work context and highlighted the importance of a balanced approach to this technology for a sustainable working world.
A journey into the future
The announced surprise guest turned out to be Hugo Bigi, who took the 20th symposium as an opportunity to slip into his role as moderator for once and appear as a speaker himself. As a media professional and owner of his own company Media and More GmbH, he took a critical look at the problem of deepfakes. He explained how they are created through the use of AI and technology and presented various examples such as face swaps, audio deepfakes and puppet masters. Of particular interest was his mention of EPF Lausanne, which is developing software to create and detect deepfakes - including how to use this to create strategies against them. He also emphasized the existence of AI-based detection software that can be used in this area.
Jörg Eugster, known as a future ambassador and internet pioneer, took the audience on a journey into the future. He shared his first lasting experience with AI, which he made 10 years ago, and encouraged people not to judge technologies such as ChatGPT prematurely, but to actively try them out and understand them.
These presentations during the symposium in Baden provided a fascinating insight into the challenges and potential associated with the ongoing development of AI and technology. As Dalith Steiger said beautifully: "It should be an interaction with technology, so that not only humans understand technology, but that technology also tries to understand humans.
More information: www.kmuswiss.ch
