Gero Presser in an interview with TDWI about GenAI

If you want to take a look at the program of the TDWI Conference 2024 next week in Munich, you will quickly realize that artificial intelligence is the big topic that also moves the data community. Dataciders CEO Dr. Gero Presser wants to find out the views of his colleagues on the topic of GenAI with a World Café on the first day of the conference.

In the interview, Gero explains what motivated him to take part in the World Café, what different perspectives he himself perceives on the topic of GenAI and what he sees as the task of data experts in dealing with the topic, especially in relation to customers.

TDWI 2024: How does the data community view the topic of GenAI?

Dataciders is not only represented in the exhibitor area at this year's TDWI conference in Munich, but you, Gero, will also be leading a World Café on the topic of GenAI. What motivated you to do this?

GenAI is currently a dominant topic that is getting a lot of attention not only in the AI community but beyond. It is being discussed intensively and I found it exciting to discuss this topic in an interactive format with the data community at the TDWI conference. As a data & AI specialist, I find the opportunity to interact with experts and discuss different perspectives particularly interesting.

What different perspectives have you seen in the data community so far?

There are different perspectives, depending on which topic is being addressed. On the one hand, the work within the data community itself is changing. In the past, the focus was very much on determining reliable key figures and presenting them in reports. Today, we can also analyze unstructured data such as texts, and GenAI makes it possible to gain deeper insights. There are huge data treasures lying dormant in companies that we can use.

Another aspect is how jobs will change. In the short term, many see GenAI as making work easier by automating routine tasks so that employees can concentrate on more interesting tasks. In the long term, however, the question is whether the jobs we currently find exciting will remain. This discussion as to whether GenAI will lead to a more exciting working world in the long term or whether fundamental tasks will be eliminated is particularly controversial and exciting.

How do you see the role of experts like us at Dataciders in dealing with this issue, especially with customers?

Our mission is to improve organizations by gaining insights from data, whether through analytics or AI. We help our customers to realize these improvements. These can be standard solutions, such as the optimization of data infrastructure, or tailor-made solutions that create competitive advantages.

It is important that we are familiar with the huge toolbox of data organization, analysis and AI and know when which tool should be used. It's not about having a technology and looking for a problem for it, but about identifying specific challenges and finding the right solutions for them. Our job is to help companies achieve better results with the right tools and to identify their unique selling points.

You have chosen a World Café format for your program. What makes the format so exciting for you and what would you like the participants of the World Café to take away with them?

The World Café is a great format because it encourages active participation and exchange. You learn the most when you contribute and discuss something yourself. All participants contribute their own ideas and this creates a multi-layered exchange. The format makes it possible to get to know different points of view and to network at the same time, which is an important aspect of any conference.

What are you most looking forward to at TDWI?

Most of all, I'm looking forward to seeing familiar faces again and making new contacts. TDWI offers a good mix of established topics and new impulses. It is exciting to experience such a broad lecture program in a short space of time and to discover the diversity of the topics presented.