Artificial intelligence: Bielefeld supports SMEs with a million-dollar project!

Artificial intelligence: Bielefeld supports SMEs with a million-dollar project!

Today, many small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) are faced with the challenge of modernizing their processes and making them more efficient through innovative technologies. A particular focus is on artificial intelligence (AI), which is becoming increasingly important but unfortunately has not yet been implemented across the board. How aktuell.uni-bielefeld.de reports, these companies are now receiving support from the new “LLM4KMU” project, which was launched by Bielefeld University.

The project is being implemented in collaboration with the state of North Rhine-Westphalia with around 5 million euros, of which almost 4 million euros are provided as funding. The aim is to optimize the use of open source large language models (LLM) in SMEs. Researchers want to establish an experimentation platform on which companies can test different language models. The focus is particularly on open source models that can be flexibly integrated into existing systems. The basic idea here follows the “Plug & Play” principle, which enables uncomplicated integration of the technologies and the exchange of models.

Why do SMEs face challenges?

Despite the potential of AI technologies, only around 12% of companies in Germany with more than ten employees are actively using these technologies. A major reason for this is the lack of knowledge and the insecure technical infrastructure senticon.org notes. Many companies are afraid to invest in AI because they don't know where to start and which technologies are suitable. There are often a lack of resources to create the appropriate IT infrastructures that are necessary for AI.

The current debate about artificial intelligence also addresses the cultural and organizational challenges that SMEs have to overcome when implementing AI technologies. According to a report by ai4human.ch There are seven key points to consider. These include, for example, the need for specialized skills and continuous training for employees. Training and workshops are essential here, “nothing beats knowledge,” as they say.

SMEs also face the challenge of bringing about a change in corporate culture. Resistance to new technologies is not uncommon, especially in traditional companies. Transparent communication and the involvement of all employees are necessary to reduce fears and create acceptance.

Implementing AI also requires thoughtful cost management. It is often unclear how investments will pay off in the long term. Therefore, companies must plan carefully and carefully consider the costs of implementation and training. It is important to clarify what advantages AI brings and how these can be communicated transparently.

Companies that are open to new approaches have the opportunity to benefit from the experience of the developer community through open source LLMs, such as those promoted in Bielefeld. These approaches offer companies the opportunity to leverage cost-effective, customizable, and privacy-preserving AI solutions. Flexible storage and processing ensure that control over your own data is maintained.

In conclusion, despite the challenges that come with adopting AI, the opportunities for SMEs are huge. For companies that are now ready to embrace these changes, new business opportunities and ways to significantly increase efficiency will open up. By actively using the available resources and projects such as “LLM4KMU”, SMEs can position themselves for the future.