Participants at today’s conference ‘Challenges of Implementing Artificial Intelligence in Enterprises’ organized by Infobip, the SLO CRO Business Club, and the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia agreed that the biggest discussions in implementing artificial intelligence in companies take place between business and IT departments and that these departments need to work together on AI solutions.
Franc Bračun, assistant director and chief data officer at Nova Ljubljanska Banka, noted that artificial intelligence is not an IT issue, but primarily a business issue, and ‘these two worlds need to collaborate to understand each other’.
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Based on his own experience in a small company that implements AI solutions, Ivan Rimac from the CroAI association confirmed during a later panel discussion that the biggest ‘battles’ around the implementation of artificial intelligence occur between business and IT departments in companies, and the biggest problem is communication. Identifying the data to be used and detecting the right use cases for artificial intelligence is another challenge, added Smilja Plišić Velimirović from Hrvatski Telekom, as it is important to determine that the time spent brings the greatest benefit. Blaž Sterle from Be-terna concluded based on his own experience working with numerous clients that, regarding the use of predictive artificial intelligence, companies can have the best algorithm, but if they do not have user trust, it does not mean much to them, so transparency towards customers and users is very important. Mitja Trampuž, president of the Slovenian initiative AI4SI, recounted how they created a guide on how to implement artificial intelligence in companies several years ago when there was not much talk about artificial intelligence.
Panel participants agreed that implementing AI in companies is a complex process that requires a comprehensive approach, from adaptability, collaboration with experts, long-term strategies to employee education. However, proper implementation brings multiple benefits for all parties involved.
From a legal perspective, Marijana Šarolić Robić, vice president of the CRO Startup Association, spoke about the challenges of implementing AI in companies in the European Union and the EU AI Act. She emphasized that ‘all employees must find their place in the world of artificial intelligence; otherwise, it all makes no sense’.
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‘AI Risks Can Be Mitigated’
Saša Muminović, president of the SLO CRO Business Club, emphasized that despite the risks of applying AI, we operate in a global market where competition uses various tools to improve, reduce costs, and make products more accessible.
– The risks that AI brings can be mitigated through appropriate solutions, while the implementation of artificial intelligence in business raises the competitiveness of the economy – concluded Muminović.
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Boris Pogačnik, vice president for business development at Infobip, noted that currently available AI technology can accelerate business processes if the conditions for its optimal use are met.
– Many global companies have recognized the advantages and actively implement artificial intelligence in their systems, and our task is to enable seamless communication with their end users – and that communication is supported by artificial intelligence. It is essential to view the challenges of business digitalization comprehensively; therefore, the implementation of AI technology is not a one-time project but a continuous process and development that will change the way companies operate and improve them in the long run – said Pogačnik.
Slovenia, for example, has a clear strategy for artificial intelligence, which was also discussed at the conference by Gašper Dovžan, the ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia in Zagreb.
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Slovenian and Croatian experts presented the possibilities that artificial intelligence can provide and shared a number of tips on how to implement AI, while Aleksandar Raić, vice president of Infobip for AI transformation, presented how artificial intelligence is used in the Croatian unicorn.
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