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Background: The dynamic development of digital technologies has caused major changes in almost all areas. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the basis of the German economy. Adapting this group to the ongoing and ever faster economic changes is of key importance for successful continued existence of Germany as a business location. Objective: The results offer crucial insights into the current implementation status of digital technologies, suggesting potential targets for supporting actions by regional initiatives and officials. Methods: A web-based online survey was conducted in the northern Rhineland-Palatinate. The survey was developed and distributed to assess the prominence and distribution of digital technologies among SME. Results: Basic digital technologies are the common run for SMEs. Few pioneers fall back on innovative technologies, while the majority is not aware of many important digital technologies.When it comes to implementation, manufacturing companies mainly concentrate on production-related areas. SME that rely on a digital strategy use a broader variety of digital technologies. The implementation gap is confirmed. Conclusion: The current digitalisation gap in German SMEs cannot resolve on its own. An external impulse is necessary helping SMEs to address the still existing information gap, resulting in a lack of implementation. In many cases, isolated technological solutions are created that serve to solve specific problems. In particular, external support must promote a holistic view of digitization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is developing fast. The set of AI, Machine Learning and large-scale data analysis, often referred to as Big Data, are having an ever-increasing impact on our future lives and businesses. Rapid enhancement produces the technologies more accessible and applicable to SMEs, the backbone of German industry. However, AI is rarely used by SMEs in the northern Rhineland-Palatinate. This paper reviews perceived risks and benefits of AI by decision-makers of SME and compares them with the result of an assessment among leading researchers in this field. Results show that an information gap exisits. The opinion of researchers on risks is largely in line with those of the companies that intensively deal with AI. For the majority of SMEs, however, a clear difference shows in the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is developing fast. The set of AI, Machine Learning and large-scale data analysis, often referred to as Big Data, are having an ever-increasing impact on our future lives and businesses. Rapid enhancement produces the technologies more accessible and applicable to SMEs, the backbone of German industry. However, AI is rarely used by SMEs in the northern Rhineland-Palatinate. This paper reviews perceived risks and benefits of AI by decision-makers of SME and compares them with the result of an assessment among leading researchers in this field. Results show that an information gap exisits. The opinion of researchers on risks is largely in line with those of the companies that intensively deal with AI. For the majority of SMEs, however, a clear difference shows in the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive improvements in deep learning methods have led to several new industrial artificial intelligence (AI) applications that made AI relevant for every company that aims to keep competitive. Thus, AI is no longer a matter for the global Tech Companies only, but also concerns any small and medium-sized enterprise (SME). This paper examines the degree of dispersion of AI in SMEs in north-western Germany and reveals barriers and concerns when it comes to the deployment of industrial AI applications. Therefore, selected SMEs were surveyed in a standardised online survey. Currently, AI is rarely used by SMEs in north-western Germany. Few SMEs are concerned with developing their own applications, because this process is very expensive, lengthy and often comes with a high risk of failure. Rather, SMEs increasingly rely on AI-as-a-service and prefer to use cloud-based solutions. There are various reasons that make companies hesitate. Perceived barriers depend on the current implementation status of SMEs, also indicating data-related misconceptions and a lack of know-how. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive improvements in deep learning methods have led to several new industrial artificial intelligence (AI) applications that made AI relevant for every company that aims to keep competitive. Thus, AI is no longer a matter for the global Tech Companies only, but also concerns any small and medium-sized enterprise (SME). This paper examines the degree of dispersion of AI in SMEs in north-western Germany and reveals barriers and concerns when it comes to the deployment of industrial AI applications. Therefore, selected SMEs were surveyed in a standardised online survey. Currently, AI is rarely used by SMEs in north-western Germany. Few SMEs are concerned with developing their own applications, because this process is very expensive, lengthy and often comes with a high risk of failure. Rather, SMEs increasingly rely on AI-as-a-service and prefer to use cloud-based solutions. There are various reasons that make companies hesitate. Perceived barriers depend on the current implementation status of SMEs, also indicating data-related misconceptions and a lack of know-how. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]