Steinbeis Dialog@Adlershof discusses trust and critical thinking
The third edition of the Steinbeis Dialog@Adlershof addressed one of the most pressing questions of our time: how are artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven innovation transforming the world of business and why is their responsible use key to the future of industry? Held at the Steinbeis House in Berlin’s Adlershof neighborhood on 4 June 2025, the event highlighted the need for a human-centered approach in our increasingly technology-driven age, and provided an opportunity for in-depth discussion and valuable networking.
Combining talks by leading experts from government, research and industry with open mic sessions, the Steinbeis Dialog@Adlershof aims to facilitate an inclusive dialog with the public. At the third edition in June, this format provided a dynamic environment for the discussion of key themes such as trustworthiness, tech hype, regulation and concrete AI and data applications.
Man or machine? A thought-provoking question to start with
Evita Milan, Innovation Manager at the Steinbeis Transfer-Hub Berlin, kicked off proceedings with a highly-charged question: “What if your AI strategy scares off top talents and damages your business’s reputation?” She highlighted some recent “AI-first” strategies that have confirmed many employees’ worst fears about AI replacing human workers. While there can be no doubt that AI will shape our future, a poorly implemented AI strategy can put off young talents and damage a company’s name. This is clearly demonstrated by the recent example of Duolingo, where the decision to prioritize automation over human work led to a public outcry and a loss of trust in the company. This example illustrates how quickly an “AI-first” strategy can backfire. In fact, more than half of the enterprises that have already replaced humans with AI – the likes of IBM, McDonald’s and Klarna – now admit that this strategy and the associated redundancies were a mistake.
Apart from the technological risks like hallucinations and deepfakes, the biggest danger is the erosion of trust. True innovation means more than just efficiency – it calls for trust based on fairness, respect for people’s data and the active inclusion of employees. The second session was devoted to this people-centered approach.
Putting people at the center of the transformation
This session was introduced by Ela Kurtcu, Director of the Steinbeis School of Sustainable Innovation and Transformation. Drawing on over 15 years’ experience in corporate sustainability and transformation, she discussed how to successfully implement systemic change in the age of AI. She emphasized that human-centricity must be the overriding principle when developing responsible, data-driven industries. The transition from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 represents a paradigm shift away from mere automation and towards sustainability, resilience and human welfare. Data will play a key role in better understanding people’s needs and enabling responsible decision-making. It is vital to actively address the ethical challenges of fairness, access and verification in order to ensure that AI protects and enhances human capabilities.
Industry experts then went on to give a series of inspiring keynotes sharing their different outlooks on the integration of AI in practical settings.
One practical perspective was presented by Roman Eckschlager, CEO of mAInufaktur GmbH, who discussed his “Human by design – AI as an enabler, not a replacement” approach. “I was asked what the greatest challenge with AI is and what the enabler or solution will be. And the answer to both questions is actually the same: people! We’re both the biggest challenge and the solution. And what’s the solution for enabling humans to use AI? It’s to make it trustworthy and explainable,” he argued. He went on to stress that “AI is human by design,” pointing out that in order to achieve optimal results, businesses must learn to communicate with machines on equal terms. This is because it’s not AI itself that replaces humans, it’s the people who use AI.
Jutta Juliane Meier, founder & CEO of Identity Valley Research gGmbH, expanded on this perspective in her keynote about a digital world built on trust and responsibility. In her view, “the biggest risk and the biggest opportunity of AI are probably the same thing: trust. There is a very serious risk of it becoming impossible to tell whether an organization, product or service is trustworthy. But this is also an opportunity – we need to find a solution, and that’s what we’re working towards: making the good guys visible and helping customers and decision-makers to make informed decisions in the digital realm.”
Davide Mazzanti, CEO of sykell GmbH, concluded the discussion with a practical perspective from industry, focusing on sustainable, digital logistics processes for the food industry and other sectors. He underlined the importance of ensuring that solutions are compatible with corporate goals, especially sustainability. “For us, AI is an enabler. AI cuts the time needed to carry out various operations. Especially in our business, where financial success is linked to sustainability, it is vital to ensure that the solutions presented to us by an AI are fully compatible with our goals as a company. In other words, it’s important to find ways of making sure that the results of the system as a whole are truly aligned with our aims.”
Trust and human-centricity in the age of AI
Following on from these inspiring keynotes, Frank Graage, Managing Director of Steinbeis Wissens- und Technologietransfer GmbH, and Evita Milan, facilitated a lively discussion with the keynote speakers and the audience about different aspects of AI implementation, from technical expertise to sustainability.
A small experiment was conducted with the participants in the room in order to illustrate the importance of trust and healthy skepticism. Evita Milan asked everyone to think about a tool that many of us use every day: ChatGPT. “Who trusts this tool completely?,” she asked.
“And who tends to feel the need to check its answers?” Interestingly, not a single person raised their hand to express blind faith in the AI. The unanimous verdict was “We trust it, but it needs to be checked.” This says a lot about the current relationship between humans and AI. While these tools are undoubtedly powerful and are becoming more and more widespread in our everyday lives, most people instinctively recognize the need for critical thinking and verification.
This exercise highlighted one of the event’s key takeaways: shaping a future with AI is not just about technological innovation – it’s also about promoting a culture where trust is earned rather than simply being required, a culture where human judgment is always at the center, regardless of how advanced the technology becomes.
It all comes down to people
The distinct common thread that ran throughout the third Steinbeis-Dialog@Adlershof was the critical importance of trust and human-centricity in an industrial landscape increasingly driven by artificial intelligence and data. From the opening question right through to the concluding industry outlooks, the message was that technological progress can only be successful in the long run if it puts people at the center and is built on a solid foundation of trust.
The clear takeaway from the dialog was that, rather than just being about the technology, the future of data-driven industry will need to be shaped by humans and built on trust. If we wish to maximize AI’s potential in a responsible manner, we must learn to see it as a tool that enhances our capabilities and reflects our values.
STEINBEIS TRANSFER-HUB BERLIN
The Steinbeis Transfer Hub Berlin represents the Steinbeis network in the Berlin-Brandenburg region, fostering collaboration and knowledge transfer. It provides Steinbeis Enterprises and guests with coworking and event spaces, facilitates researcher and staff secondments under the EU’s ERA Shuttle project from Poland, Malta, and Croatia. Recently, the Hub, together with Latvian partners, started an ERASMUS project on AI compliance and ethics to upskill SMEs and academia on the EU AI Act.
For more information about the project, visit www.erashuttle.eu. [1]
STEINBEIS SCHOOL OF SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION AND TRANSFORMATION GMBH
The Steinbeis School of Sustainable Innovation and Transformation (SIT) GmbH employs a three-pronged – green, digital and cultural – approach to transformation in order to analyze and manage systemic change. SIT pursues this mission through education and EU-funded innovation. Its flagship program, the Diploma of Advanced Studies in Responsible Data Science, offers a unique combination of technical education and insights into ESG topics. Participants acquire a combination of data analytics and programming skills and knowledge about sustainability and corporate sustainability reporting that is aligned with European regulations such as the AI Act and the GDPR.