Offering Industries Cases Perspectives About us Careers Let’s talk

Voith

Partner since 2017

From AI Hype to Real Impact

Manufacturing & Industrial Services

Digital transformation

Product vision & innovation strategy

How can organizations turn AI discussions into real value? Together with Voith, we asked ourselves this exact question. We defined a clear status quo, analyzed key functional processes, and initiated concrete implementations based on the findings. These are already delivering efficiency gains, reducing the workload for employees, and unlocking new potential for innovation. This approach laid the foundation for treating AI not as a standalone initiative, but as a strategic business lever with lasting impact.

Need

Finding the right entry point into AI – moving from scattered ideas to structured, effective use cases that reveal real process levers and provide orientation for the entire organization.

Result

A comprehensive AI readiness assessment, enriched by process analyses across four core areas, including 16 prioritized use cases and five flagship projects for rapid implementation.

Impact

A hands-on roadmap that drives efficiency gains, eases the workload of employees in their day-to-day work, and empowers Voith to establish a sustainable AI strategy and AI culture across the entire organization.

The challenge

Turning uncertainty into opportunity

Voith, like many companies, faced a key question: Where do we start with AI – and how do we avoid ending up with nothing but showpieces? The initial situation was shaped by high expectations, but also by open questions around governance, accountability, and employee enablement. It quickly became clear: AI is no longer just a field for experimentation. But what’s still missing is the necessary breadth of application and integration into daily workflows to make AI the new normal. AI must be embedded productively into the way people work and deliver tangible results. Accordingly, it was clear: this isn’t about isolated initiatives. It’s a task for the entire organization.

What we did

From Abstract Ideas to Concrete Use Cases

We assessed the company’s AI maturity and conducted a broad-based internal survey. At the same time, existing processes in Controlling, HR, Tax, and I&T were analyzed. From over 80 submitted proposals, 16 prioritized use cases emerged ("AI Slices"). Five of these were selected as lighthouse projects: starting points for quick wins and visible business impact.

The result: Initial pilot projects already show where AI is measurably streamlining processes, reducing costs, and relieving employees. At the same time, a foundation was laid for long-term adoption – with training programs, governance guidelines, and clearly defined KPIs. In this way, AI is not treated as a one-off project, but as an integral part of the corporate strategy. The next step: Scaling the methodology to other areas such as Procurement and Production.

How we did it

Strategically positioned, close to operations

We laid the foundation with clear guardrails: employee training, governance rules, KPIs, and a shared vision. At the same time, we engaged deeply with the operational teams – prioritizing ideas, refining them, and translating them into concrete use cases.

Our focus was on raising awareness for real process levers – moving away from superficial frontend gimmicks. The result: fast proof-of-concepts that demonstrate how AI can drive tangible efficiency, reduce costs, and create real value in day-to-day operations. This made AI not a trend, but a practical business enabler.

Together with Ray Sono, we didn’t just analyze processes to drive relevant AI use cases – we also laid the foundation for company-wide AI governance at Voith. As a result of our collaboration, our organization is now empowered to apply AI responsibly and with measurable value – strategically grounded, operationally relevant, and built for the future.

Jens Haag

Director AI & Analytics

Voith

What we learned

The key insight: AI doesn’t create impact through tools or isolated ideas. Real value only emerges when cultural work, governance, and process analysis are aligned. That’s when AI stops being a trend and starts becoming a true business driver – actively supported and shaped by employees.

Facts