Now that the partners from six regions in Baden-Württemberg have started their operational work as the “AI Alliance Baden-Württemberg” cooperative, the technical sub-projects are now being gradually implemented. After the launch of the cross-regional “data platform” on July 20th, the “AI Challenge” now follows. This sub-project is dedicated to the challenge of systematically and sustainably incorporating AI methods into the software development of businesses and authorities and building a lively AI scene in the regions. A funding decision worth around half a million euros was received on Thursday in Stuttgart by Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economics, Labor and Tourism, handed over to the Fraunhofer IOSB.
“Artificial intelligence offers enormous potential for creating value for Baden-Württemberg as a business location,” says Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister for Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism in Baden-Württemberg. »Predictions indicate that by 2035 there will no longer be any jobs that are not related to AI. We therefore want to support the development of AI solutions and the testing of use cases at an early stage, especially in small and medium-sized companies. The AI Challenge project starts right here with tailored offers and supports the existing innovative strength of companies across the country.«
Three success-critical factors for the use of AI
The AI Challenge project will be led by Dr. Thomas Usländer, head of the department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Optronics, System Technology, and Image Analysis IOSB in Karlsruhe. He names three success-critical factors for the use of AI: »AI projects in business and authorities need, firstly, a clearly defined business goal that is pursued through the use of AI methods. Secondly, they need a process model and a methodology that systematically integrates AI components as building blocks in corresponding IT projects. And thirdly, the data necessary for the AI methods must be provided.«
While the data platform sub-project addresses the third point, the AI challenge tackles the organizational and methodological challenges of the first two points. To this end, regional workshops with company and government representatives will be planned and carried out as part of the project – with a focus on the use of AI in areas such as industrial production, environmental and mobility systems, healthcare, or smart city applications.
Promote a sustainable, vibrant AI scene in the regions
Ingo Hoffmann, Managing Director of the AI Alliance, is pleased about this offer, which embodies exactly the intention of the AI Alliance: “Analyze problems, understand and select appropriate AI methods and implement them in practice as needed, so that even after the funding phase The workshops maintain a sustainable, lively AI scene in the regions – that’s exactly what we want. We as the AI Alliance will actively support the AI Challenge project.«
Workshops based on the AI engineering process model PAISE ®
In order to master the methodological and organizational challenges mentioned in the use of AI, those involved in the AI challenge rely on the AI engineering approach. The basic principles of this discipline were laid in the Competence Center for AI Engineering Karlsruhe CC-KING, which is also funded by the Ministry of Economics, Labor, and Tourism. In particular, the PAISE ® (Process Model for AI Systems Engineering) process model was developed here. You can now build on this. The AI Challenge goes to the six regions of the AI Alliance Baden-Württemberg and offers dedicated two- to three-day AI engineering workshops in each region.
The workshops are aimed at senior employees or experts from businesses, authorities, and scientific institutions in the respective regions and beyond. The topics of the workshops are based on their industries, interests, and needs. The workshops will be prepared intensively with the participants over a period of two to three months and are scheduled to start at the beginning of 2024. They offer an attractive mix
- introductory lectures,
- moderated analysis of needs and requirements,
- Presentation of best practice examples, future-oriented concepts, and innovations as well
- moderated, strategic discussions on possible solutions for the specific requirements.
Interested companies and authorities from all over Baden-Württemberg are called upon to actively contribute to the content preparation of the workshops with their challenges and use cases and to get in touch in the first step using the contact form at www.ki-engineering.eu/ki-challenge . The first expressions of interest from the area of resource-efficient production have already been received. Based on the feedback, Fraunhofer IOSB will take the lead in preparing, moderating, and following up on the workshops. There are no costs for the participants.
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