The future of Deep Learning in the German Industry. Who sets the strategies?

In 2021 AI is not an Exotic topic, but is very much part of everyday life. Already now, the use of intelligent IT systems has radically changed our lives. From autonomous vehicles, to digital assistants or chat bots, from smart home systems to predictive maintenance of machines – the number of applications using AI is steadily increasing. Where previously engineers wished to have a full control of their environment, now they move from a “Do it yourself” technology towards a “Do it with me” model. Customers want AI applications. Even more, they want AI-based applications – which should be reliable, simple and cost-effective.

The percentage of positive opinions on AI in Germany is slightly lower than in the US. The share of negative opinions is also significantly higher (37% vs. 27% in US). The reason for this is not the actual use of AI but rather the fear of the use of this technology. This fear is related to fears that emanate from the future of work.

One of the major reasons for the reluctance of the use of AI is the fear for a loss of control. If a machine is capable of certain tasks, the fear is that more and more tasks will be replaced by machines until humans are replaced completely. In addition, many fear for a loss of jobs. There must be a valid justification if a job is replaced by a machine. If there is no justification, the fear is that ones work will be replaced by a machine with the effect that ones job turns into a “last job”. This fear is stronger in Germany than in the US.

The second reason for negative opinions is the fear of possible cyber attacks. Especially for IT systems, attacks are a significant threat. Many are concerned about the loss of data associated with attacks.

For organizations, the challenges are global. They are not tied to a particular country or region. Knowledge of AI is low. Acceptance of this technology is still small. For this reason alone, organizations must educate their employees. The process of Working With AI is a “work in progress”. New release processes and tools can help here. How can AI be used in organizations? How can organizations acquire the right knowledge and skills? How can companies manage the development of AI, establish “living agreements” and establish dialogue between AI and humans? This is the challenge for the next 5-10 years!

(This article was written by GPT-3)