Evaluation Of The Challenges In Implementing AI Across The Different Phases - Empirical Insights Derived From AI Implementation Projects In Industry

In today’s business landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) offers a competitive advantage, for example, by enabling more efficient process design through AI-driven automation. Consequently, organizations are seeking to implement and utilize AI within their respective entities. However, many organizations encounter challenges in integrating AI into their digital transformation efforts due to insufficient expertise in AI. This study uses qualitative interviews to examine the challenges across different phases of AI introduction. The interview participants, representing various companies with differing levels of AI expertise, all come from the context of the “Arbeitswelt.Plus” project, which aims to support the implementation of AI solutions in manufacturing SMEs. During the interviews, we discuss the challenges encountered during AI implementation with their business use cases. Furthermore, the interviews highlight enablers that facilitate implementation and capture key learnings from the participants. Above all, the interviews show that AI implementation requires a clearer strategic focus compared to other technologies. Numerous obstacles must also be addressed to ensure successful integration. These findings, outlined across various stages of implementation, offer valuable insights for future AI introductions.