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Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer an abstract concept of the future, but an integral part of everyday life. This applies not only to adults, but increasingly to children as well. Even at primary school age, many children use digital devices, interact with AI-powered chatbots and talking toys, or navigate platforms whose content is controlled by algorithmic systems. In this interview, Klaus Heine explains the specific challenges this development brings, how children and young people can benefit from AI, and how AI can be designed in a child-friendly way. He is a professor of law and economics at the Erasmus School of Law in Rotterdam and a member of Plattform Lernende Systeme.

Local authorities face a multitude of challenges when it comes to mobility – reducing congestion, cutting emissions and improving road safety. Artificial intelligence (AI) can help to manage traffic more effectively, use infrastructure more efficiently and better coordinate mobility services. This opens up opportunities for local authorities and cities to increase sustainability, efficiency and quality of life. In this interview, Dr. Tobias Hesse explains what it takes to successfully design AI-based traffic management and why clearly defined goals and measurable indicators are crucial to this. He is Acting Director of the Road System Technology Institute at the German Aerospace Centre and a member of Plattform Lernende Systeme.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is influencing existing processes, task allocations and organisational structures in the world of work. The interaction between people and AI in the company will result in a change in corporate culture. The first changes in the way we interact with each other and in communication are already manifesting themselves. In this context, change processes must be consciously recognised and actively shaped. In this interview, Andrea Stich explains what the use of AI has to do with corporate culture, how employees can remain at the centre of things despite the use of AI and what challenges remain. She is Head of the Frontend Academy at Infineon Technologies AG and a member of the Work/Qualification, Human-Machine Interaction working group of the Plattform Lernende Systeme.

The first provisions of the AI Act have been in force since February 2025 - among other things, providers and operators of AI systems are obliged under Article 4 to train their employees in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This concerns the need to impart sufficient technical AI skills and to ensure an understanding of the social, ethical and legal aspects of the use of AI. In this interview, Uta Wilkens explains what this means in concrete terms for companies, what skills should be taught and what challenges remain. She holds the Chair of Work, Human Resources & Leadership at Ruhr University Bochum and is spokesperson for the HUMAINE competence centre as well as a member of the ‘Future of Work and Human-Machine Interaction’ working group of Plattform Lernende Systeme.

In the coming years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) will change business processes in many areas and influence our everyday working lives. Its use can have a positive impact on the quality of products and services as well as on employees if automated processes create new scope for higher-value activities in everyday working life. In order for value creation through AI to be successful in its entirety, the perspective of the users must be taken into account in the implementation of AI in addition to the economic factors. Irene Bertschek explains the opportunities and challenges associated with this in an interview. She is head of the ‘Digital Economy’ research department at the ZEW - Leibniz Institute for European Economic Research in Mannheim and Professor of ‘Economics of Digitalisation’ at Justus Liebig University Giessen as well as a member of the ‘Innovation, Business Models and Processes working group of Plattform Lernende Systeme.

When it comes to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medicine and care, most people think of surgical robots or assistance systems in radiology. Less in the limelight are AI applications that support healthcare professionals with time-consuming administrative tasks - be it documentation, duty rostering or billing. Such software solutions offer great potential and, unlike AI systems for the clinical sector, quickly save time and money. In this interview, Andrea Schmidt-Rumposch explains how AI can make medical and nursing processes more efficient and what hurdles healthcare facilities face when introducing AI systems. She is Director of Nursing at Essen University Hospital and a member of the Health Care, Medical Technology and Care working group of Plattform Lernende Systeme.

The latest successes in the development of generative AI are based on "more and more" centrally processed data, upscaled neural networks and computing capacities. This is accompanied by data protection issues, costs and increasing resource consumption. Research and industry are therefore currently pursuing a different approach in parallel: the decentralisation of AI architectures along the lines of edge computing - known as edge AI. The aim is not to process and analyse data for AI systems in the cloud, but rather as close as possible to where it is generated - i.e. close to the user.

Artificial Intelligence can accelerate the development of medicines. Dagmar Krefting (member of the Health Care, Medical Technology, Care working group) explains exactly how the use of AI can improve drug research and what needs to be done to ensure that the population can benefit from cost-effective medicines.

Whether as an assistance system in the doctor's office, in a rollator that prevents falls, or as software for evaluating X-ray images - Artificial Intelligence (AI) can improve healthcare. However, if medical AI systems are faulty, people can be harmed. In this interview, Dr. Abtin Rad explains the risks associated with the use of AI in medicine, how these can be controlled, and what contribution the EU's AI Regulation can make to safe AI applications. He is Global Director Functional Safety, Software and Digitization at TÜV SÜD and a member of the "Health Care, Medical Technology, Care" working group of Plattform Lernende Systeme.

Not only in factories, but also in classic office jobs or social professions, AI-based chatbots and assistance systems are increasingly providing support at work. Eva Bittner, professor of socio-technical system design at Universität Hamburg and member of the AI expert network Plattform Lernende Systeme, and her team are investigating how this affects work processes and employees. She explains why the topic fascinates her, how humans and AI systems cooperate optimally and what challenges exist on the occasion of the nationwide Girls' Day.