ai:NOW Conference DACH
12 March, 2025 @ 8:30 am - 13 March, 2025 @ 5:00 pm
Event Summary
The ai:NOW conference’s second gathering is dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence (AI) deployment at scale. Building on the momentum from 2024’s session by focusing not only on the potential of AI but on actionable outcomes and pathways to real-world implementation.
Senior industry leaders will collectively address critical needs in pilot support, strategic planning, and the infrastructure essential for scaling solutions effectively. Join us and explore how to overcome challenges related to operationalising AI, from data quality and ethical considerations to resource allocation and policy support and equip your organisation with the tools, frameworks, and partnerships necessary for successful AI integration.
Through an outcome-driven approach, and over 2-days, foster robust strategies for scaling AI projects, and successfully transition from pilot initiatives to widespread adoption.
ai:NOW seeks to catalyse the next phase of AI development that is not only innovative but also sustainable, equitable, and impactful.
Speakers
Event Sponsors
Agenda
Inspiration / Network / Learn / Engage
08:30 Registration
Tea, coffee and light refreshments provided
09:20 Introduction & Welcome
An introduction from the ai:NOW founders
09:30 Keynote: Scalability and Tangible Business Value of AI Use Case
Speaker: Carlos J. Díaz González, Head of Data Analytics & AI Lufthansa
Synopsis: TBC
09:30 Keynote: AI Automation in the Enterprise: Where to Begin and How to Succeed
Are you ready to bring AI automation into your organization but unsure where to start? In this session we will explore how to begin your AI automation journey in the enterprise. This session will provide a roadmap for implementing AI, with practical insights into selecting the right use cases, assembling the right teams, and navigating challenges. Discover proven strategies to build a successful AI automation foundation, enabling improved efficiency, cost savings, and scalability within your organization. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to expand your automation efforts, this event will equip you with the knowledge to move forward confidently.
10:10 Networking Break
Enjoy networking and light refreshment
10:30 Panel: AI Ethics, Governance & Accountability
This panel will address the growing focus on ethical AI use, with discussions around bias, transparency, and accountability becoming more prominent as AI becomes integrated into various sectors.
11:30 Networking Break
Enjoy networking and light refreshment
11:50 Building Bridges: Trust as the Cornerstone of Sustainable Digital Platform Management
Speaker: Markus Muller, Partner Digital Advisory & Transformation, TPA Group
How Trust in AI Is Fundamentally Changing the Digital Landscape In the era of rapid AI advancement, trust in artificial intelligence has become a pivotal factor reshaping the digital economy. This session delves into how evolving perceptions of AI are fundamentally altering user engagement, business models, and the ethical considerations of technology deployment. Join us as we explore the shifting dynamics of trust in AI—examining both the challenges and opportunities it presents. Through compelling use cases, we’ll illustrate how AI can enhance trust, while also addressing the risks of bias, privacy concerns, and over-reliance on automated systems. Discover strategies for businesses to navigate this changing landscape by leveraging AI responsibly to build stronger, trust-based relationships with users. Learn how fostering trust in AI not only drives innovation but also ensures sustainable success.
11:50 SIAM: An Integrated Approach to deliver AI ROI
Speaker: Claire Agutter, Director Scopism
As AI adoption rates increase, many organisations are struggling to move past the pilot stage and deliver true AI ROI. Effective implementation is crucial for achieving business value from complex technologies that often span multiple organisations. This workshop explores how the Service Integration and Management (SIAM) methodology can empower organisations to successfully adopt and manage AI solutions across diverse teams and service providers. Participants will learn how SIAM’s collaborative framework enhances accountability, enables compliance, fosters agility, and aligns AI deployment with business outcomes.
Through industry examples and interactive discussions, attendees will discover practical strategies for integrating AI into complex environments, overcoming implementation challenges, and driving innovation. This session is ideal for business leaders, IT managers, and AI strategists seeking a structured approach to scaling AI adoption with confidence and efficiency.
11:50 Business Case: The AI Advantage: Driving Efficiency and Personalisation to improve CX
As the retail industry becomes increasingly data-driven, artificial intelligence is emerging as the key to unlocking both operational efficiency and personalised customer experiences. In this session we will explore how AI technologies are helping retailers streamline operations while delivering highly tailored shopping experiences that drive customer loyalty and business growth.
The focus will be: AI-driven personalisation. Enabling retailers to offer targeted promotions, product recommendations, and individualised shopping journeys that resonate with today’s empowered consumers.
Attendees will learn about the latest AI innovations, from machine learning algorithms that predict customer preferences to natural language processing tools that enhance customer service. Real-world case studies will demonstrate how leading retailers are using AI to not only reduce costs and improve operational agility but also create more meaningful, customised experiences that increase sales and customer retention.
Key Takeaways for Attendees:
– Ways AI is automating routine tasks, freeing up human resources for more strategic roles.
– Real-world examples of personalised shopping experiences through AI-powered product recommendations, visual search, and voice assistants.
– The impact of AI on dynamic pricing strategies, customer service automation, and predictive analytics for customer retention.
12:30 How To Hire the Top 5% of the Data & AI Talent Pool
Speaker: Damien Deighan, CEO Data Science Talent
Synopsis: TBC
12:30 How Enterprise Architecture supports achieving the Goals from Risk Transparency and Regulatory Requirements - Showcasing on the example AI Governance
Speaker: Dr. Claudia Gsottberger, Snr Enterprise Architect, Munich RE
Enhancing the EAM repository by additional information needed for Risk Transparency and Regulatory Requirements
IT Change Council to ensure applying changes to repositories and processes in a consistent way across all stakeholder groups on IT and business side, and tools affected
Support the alignments across all stakeholder groups on IT and business side, and tools affected, in order to achieve a rightsizing of tools and processes affected
12:30 Beyond LLMs to AI Agents and Unstructured Data
Speaker: Kapil Gupta, Chief Data Technologist E.ON
Synopsis: TBC
13:10 Lunch
Lunch provided in the Sofitel Bayerpost Munich Restaurant
14:10 Innovation Session
akirolabs / TBC / TBC / TBC
A highly engaging session – 4 invited start ups showcase their products and deliver a micro pitch on their organisation
Voted Winner – shared in the physical takeaway document and interviewed for our community
15:10 Gertrud Kolb, CTO Scout24
Title: TBC
Synopsis: TBC
15:50 Networking Break
Enjoy networking and light refreshment
16:10 Panel: The Near-Term Impact of AI on the Cyber Threat
Panelists: Joel Norris, Holcim | Max Imbiel, Bitpanda | Ebi Gasmnejad, Deutsche Bank
As AI pilots and programs rapidly expand within enterprises, they present both unprecedented opportunities and serious security challenges. While AI technologies drive innovation and efficiency, they can also create new vulnerabilities and attack vectors that cybercriminals are eager to exploit. This panel will bring together CISOs to examine the near-term cybersecurity risks associated with implementing AI solutions. The discussion will focus on how to balance AI adoption with robust security measures, anticipate new threat vectors, and proactively address the evolving risk landscape AI brings to enterprises.
17:10 Wrap Up from ai:NOW
End of Day 1
17:30 End of Conference
Application / Outcomes / Business Cases / Implementation
09:15 - 09:45 Registration
Tea, coffee and light refreshments provided
09:45 Day 2 Introduction
Day two overview from the ai:NOW Founders
09:50 Keynote: The Fuel Needed For Training AI Models
Presentation from an AI thought-leader as they discuss how the explosion of high-quality data from various sources becomes a cornerstone of AI development.
09:50 Responsibe AI Leadership: Building Models with Fairness, Compliance, and Transparency
Speaker: Füsun Wehrmann, CTO and Advisor
Synopsis: TBC
10:30 Networking Break
Enjoy networking and light refreshment
10.50 Panel: Navigating through the EU AI Act
Panellists: Michael Schorpp, Boehringer Ingelheim | Katharina Von Knop, VDE | Dominick Romano, UN
As businesses work to understand and adapt to the new EU AI Act, prioritising transparency, compliance, and ethical AI development becomes crucial. In this panel discussion, our panellists will explore what it means for companies to align their AI initiatives with these principles, ensuring responsible use while meeting regulatory standards. How can organisations balance innovation with compliance? And what role does transparency play in building trust in AI-driven processes? The audience will gain practical steps to navigate this regulatory landscape and have the opportunity to direct questions to our panellists.
11:50 Networking Break
Enjoy networking and light refreshment
12:10 Next Generation of artificial intelligence
Speaker: Yaniv Naor, Sandoz
The session will outline:
- Artificial Intelligence & Human Interaction
- Artificial Intelligence – A Journey Through Evolution
- Importance of Master Data Management
12:10 AI Now but How?
Nicolas Werner-Schmolling, alliainvest GmbH
Synopsis: TBC
12:40 Lunch
Lunch provided in the Sofitel Bayerpost Munich Restaurant
13:40 Use Case
Grouped ‘Use Cases’ provided by attendees, discussed by the host and used to support the development of the use case into a workable document
14:40 Networking Break
Enjoy networking and light refreshment
15:00 Panel: Growing Awareness of The Ethical Implications
Our thought leaders share their insights on the ethical implications around AI use, fairness, transparency, and accountability, which are becoming integral to AI development.
Discussion points:
- Equitable Access
- Data Bias
- Data Security/Cybersecurity
- Privacy Concerns
- Responsible AI Use
16:00 Networking Break
Enjoy networking and light refreshment
16:10 Closing Keynote: Anna Kopp, CIO Germany Microsoft
Title: TBC
Synopsis: TBC
16:50 Final Words
Final words and conference overview from the ai:NOW founders
17:00 End of Conference
