The AI-Challenge

The whole world is talking about artificial intelligence and that it is the quantum leap for all industries. Also for the cement industry? Computer scientists look anxiously into the future, fearing that AI may take their jobs even though only 10 years ago their jobs were considered the most important and irreplaceable for the future. Like in so many previous crises, the cement industry will stand strong in this industrial disruption. We may not generate those big profit jumps as the IT industry, but we will provide continuous solid business. And we will profit from AI as well. All the logistics in and around a cement plant will be optimized with AI. The operation of our plants will be optimized by AI. All that will happen or has even already started to happen – but not with AI alone. At least today, AI is not delivering enough robustness and performance for our complex processes if not accompanied by human intelligence. So there will be enough demand in the future for all the specialists in our industry. We will need human intelligence and experience-based knowledge – also in the future. And the complexity of our operations will increase drastically once we introduce all the new technologies and processes for decarbonization. So we will live in interesting times. Let’s not be anxious about it, let’s look forward to it and welcome change. If we don’t, we will just be sad, because changes are going to come for sure - and it’s better to drive them actively!

Digitally yours,

Matthias Mersmann