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The capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) are not only evident in text-based platforms like ChatGPT—AI actually offers a valuable opportunity for many companies to fundamentally change and optimize their daily processes and customer interactions. Dr. Christian Temath, Managing Director of the central competence platform KI.NRW, explains in an interview how the future of such AI applications looks and what challenges the use of AI technologies entails.
KI.NRW plays a significant role in promoting artificial intelligence in North Rhine-Westphalia. Can you tell us more about the current developments and initiatives of KI.NRW?
We are currently seeing that AI is on everyone’s lips and is perceived as a very important topic by all companies. At the same time, many companies admit that they are not quite sure how to get started, where AI can actually be used, and where AI can help them.
We address this by guiding companies through their AI journey and considering where AI can be concretely implemented within the organization. We want to inject some fun and spark a passion for innovation, allowing us to make a big start with AI in North Rhine-Westphalia.

About Dr. Christian Temath
Dr. Christian Temath has been Managing Director of the KI.NRW competence platform since September 2020 and works at Fraunhofer IAIS in Sankt Augustin with his team to establish the “AI made in NRW” brand and strengthen the technological sovereignty of the state of NRW. With a doctorate in business informatics, he has many years of experience in management consulting in the field of technology and in the practical application of AI technologies at an international e-commerce company. His team of AI managers combines knowledge and experience in the fields of artificial intelligence, digitalization, networking and consulting with the aim of making it easier for companies, SMEs and start-ups to get started with AI.
Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform a wide range of industries. How do you see the future of AI applications, and how can companies and their customers benefit from it?
Currently, we are seeing very strong developments, especially in generative AI, such as text generation, image creation, and video production. However, there are also many use cases across all industries that don’t necessarily involve generative AI.
I believe AI will have a transformative impact on the economy, particularly in terms of increasing efficiency in internal administrative processes, as well as driving innovation: How can we develop new products? How can we interact with customers in entirely different ways?
In customer service, for example, chatbots and other systems are increasingly used to automatically handle simple inquiries without the need for a customer service agent. There are also exciting developments, such as predicting the sales of bakery products based on factors like weather, holidays, and sales figures, to ensure the right products are available, reduce waste, and boost sales simultaneously.
A lot is happening, and I’m excited to be part of this journey.
As an expert in artificial intelligence, you can certainly provide insights into the ethical and societal aspects of AI. What challenges and opportunities do you see regarding the responsibility and use of AI technologies in society and businesses?
The impact of current AI developments will be profound in both professional and personal areas. That’s why we, as a society, should engage deeply with the topic of AI and ask ourselves what the right frameworks are—where we want to regulate and where we want to allow innovation. This way, we can make AI a kind of “national pastime”—a topic where we understand the rules and know how the entire game works. We don’t all need to play at Ronaldo’s level, but we should enjoy the subject and feel comfortable with the changes happening around us.
Another important point is that many AI systems will be very powerful in their capabilities. We should act like AI conductors, directing the assistants on what to do, rather than letting AI dictate our actions.
Cover: © Dr. Christian Temath