This is the result of a global study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). For the analysis production and technology managers from around 1,100 industrial companies were surveyed. The share of AI pioneers is largest in the US, China, and India. Germany is only in sixth place , after Canada and Poland. Although in Germany every seventh company has already begun integrating AI, in China and India the ratio is already one in four. Germany is at risk of falling behind even further, according to BCG partner Markus Lorenz , if the industry fails to implement new technologies and intelligent automation on a larger scale – and faster.

In a global industry comparison, the automotive and technology industries are in the lead. By contrast, according to the study, it’s primarily pharmaceutical companies, medical technology, mechanical engineering, and the process industry that need to catch up. One stumbling block worldwide is the lack of skills. Nearly 70% of executives surveyed report deficits in this regard, especially in the areas of data management, analytics, and programming.

AI is a crucial topic for German industrial companies, McKinsey shows – and adds some tips for the first implementation steps. Accordingly, companies should set up pilot projects for themselves and build up internal AI skills. Collaboration with specialized third-party providers is also recommended. Both consultant agencies also plead for more agility in the implementation.