Review | This was the AI Update for Export

“It is not about the AI tools, but about the business processes.” – this sentence from long-standing ICS cooperation partner and AI coach Lothar Lackner stuck, and rightly so. Because at our ICS AI Update on May 21, it became clear once again: Generative AI does not unfold its true benefit in a battle of tools, but rather when it is embedded into the real challenges of export companies.

Together with ICS expert Iris Edler-Stiegler, Lackner took the more than 60 participants on a practical journey through the latest developments – from smart assistants and deep research to autonomous agents that automate research, market analysis, and follow-ups.

Using the example of a potential organic cereal bar export to Japan, it was impressively demonstrated how AI can support market analysis at the touch of a button, intercultural training, and trade fair preparations. Concepts such as RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) were also used, allowing company data to be intelligently integrated into AI workflows.

The use cases shown provided many aha moments – as confirmed by the feedback from participants: “I found the great practical examples particularly exciting. The fast-paced presentation style and the large amount of information also suited me perfectly!”, “Very good presentation with a lot of important practice-related content. Top!”, or “Very helpful for making everyday life more efficient!”.

Another central topic was the Human in the Loop principle & the risks of so-called hallucinations – i.e., incorrect or misleading AI answers. After all, AI can automate many things, but especially in export, where cultural nuances and legal precision are crucial, humans remain indispensable as a verifying instance. All the more shocking are the results of a recent study by EY, which states that only a quarter of respondents from Germany double-check AI-generated content, placing our neighbors even below the global average of 31%.

Also particularly exciting: alternatives to cloud-based usage. Keyword On-Premise AI – systems that are operated locally and allow for maximum control over sensitive company data. While higher initial investments are often a barrier here, they bear no relation to data security and independence from providers and internet connections.

Where will the journey lead? Lothar Lackner remains deliberately vague – but one thing is certain for him: “We are no longer looking for the one tool that can do everything – instead, we define business processes for which specialized tools can make our work more efficient.”

Recommended for this are the latest releases from Microsoft and Google, practically summarized by CNET in 15-minute clips each:

• Microsoft Build 2025 Keynote
• Google I/O 2025

The event was rounded off by a compact update on the current go-international funding programs, presented by ICS funding expert Marion Kikinger.