Over 80 percent of Swiss companies use AI without a plan

The application areas of artificial intelligence have also found favor in Swiss companies. As the current AI Swiss Report shows that almost 30 percent of the 1,338 managers surveyed stated that they expect an increase in the use of AI. Technologies are primarily used for translations, writing letters, emails or advertising copy. Another quarter of companies use AI specifically to optimize work processes and data analysis. Patrick Sommer, Managing Director of the digital consultancy CNT Management Consulting, knows the advantages of this. "The use of AI has long since become a must-have in many companies' day-to-day operations - be it when creating reports or in consulting. Instead of creating documents manually, AI can use previously analyzed business processes to generate automatic check scenarios."

Swiss companies struggle with AI: only 13% focus on clear goals and integration

A study by the Swiss AI Report (2025) has taken a closer look at how Swiss companies deal with AI. "Only 13 percent of Swiss companies are working with clearly defined AI goals. There is often a lack of long-term implementation and integration into existing technological systems," says Sommer. For the CNT manager, the advantages of structured AI deployment in organizations are crystal clear. "Looking at, analysing and optimizing a wide range of company processes used to take an enormous amount of time, and separate workshops were often organized for this purpose. This cost personnel, time and resources. Today, AI provides us with an objective picture of various problems in just a few hours." According to Sommer, AI-supported process mining is particularly helpful for efficient company processes: "With this method, companies can use digital recordings of activities to recognize how business processes actually work in reality. This enables companies to understand, analyze and improve internal structures more quickly. With AI integration in the customer's SAP system, intelligent assistants (SAP Joule) can immediately provide information on when an order was created, approved or delivered. From this, the AI visualizes the actual process flow - not as it should be, but as it really is."

AI in practice: How companies are making processes smarter and more efficient

When using AI in day-to-day business, the know-how for responsible AI use is often lacking. The integration is not only quick, but also convincing once the technical background is understood, as the consulting expert reports. In a consulting context, he uses SAP Joule to generate code modules. "We give the AI instructions in natural language on what a function should do, for example: 'Create a report that shows all open customer orders over 10,000 francs'," explains the manager. While the recording, processing and evaluation of figures required a lot of time and effort before the AI integration, the AI now writes most of the ABAP code itself, Sommer confirms. And he adds: "Day-to-day work is increasingly shifting from manual configuration to analysis, control and strategic embedding of AI-controlled tools. Customers expect not only technical expertise, but also sound advice on how AI applications can be used efficiently and in accordance with the strict Swiss standards for data protection and transparency in their own company."

Fear of tech replacement: do consultants have to fear for their jobs?

A much-discussed question is how the increasing use of AI will affect the professional future of consultants. Sommer's opinion on this is clear: artificial intelligence is changing the consulting landscape, but is not replacing human expertise, rather complementing it. "AI can process data faster, identify trends and provide suggestions that consultants can then interpret," says Sommer. While automated routine activities such as test scripts, presentations or code generation are increasingly being taken over by AI, the consultant remains indispensable for context, empathy and supporting change processes. "Consulting means much more than just facts and figures: It's about change management and taking people along in change processes - and AI can't do that," he cautions. AI is "like a navigation system: it shows you the fastest route, but it's still up to the person to decide whether to avoid the traffic jam or make a stopover," Sommer concludes.

Source: CNT Management Consulting