Logo of German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc.

Where Do We Start? – From AI Hype to Business Value

  • Event

📅 September 30, 2026 | 11 AM–12 PM CDT |📍Virtual | English | Free

AI Webinar Series.png

About this Webinar

Many organizations have moved beyond asking whether AI matters. The harder questions are where to begin, what must be in place, and how to turn promising pilots into sustainable business practice.

 

This Webinar focuses on how can a company identify useful AI opportunities, achieve credible early wins, and build support across the organization?

What participants will gain

A practical method for selecting an appropriate first use case and building a credible internal business case.

What we will explore

1. Separate opportunity from hype 

  • Understand what AI can—and cannot—realistically contribute to the business.
  • Start with a business problem rather than a technology looking for an application. 

 

2. Choose the right first use case 

  • Evaluate potential uses by business value, implementation difficulty, data readiness, risk, and time to results.
  • Aim for a project that is meaningful enough to matter and contained enough to manage. 

 

3. Build confidence with a credible early win 

  • Define success before launching and be prepared to stop or redirect a weak pilot.
  • Create alignment among local leadership, boards, and international headquarters without overpromising. 

Speakers

  • Wittmann, Barbara pic 20260316.jpg

    Barbara Wittmann

    President​ GACC - CO Chapter​, CEO IT Zeitgeist Barbara Wittmann is the founder of Digital Wisdom Collective™ and President of the German American Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Chapter. She is the neutral voice in the room when a decade-defining tech decision is on the line - building the human capability the success of the investment depends on. She rescued broken technology transformations for 25 years and was part of SAP's Office of the CEO innovation team under Hasso Plattner before starting her own company, which she rebuilt on AI in 2026. Author of Meetings in Moccasins; Global Peter Drucker Forum speaker.

  • Somary, Geoffrey pic 20240313.png

    Geoffrey Somary

    CEO - Ipsen Group Geoffrey Somary oversees the global companies of Ipsen based in the US, Germany, China, India and Japan. Ipsen manufactures and services heat treatment systems that transform metals and alloys into super-performing materials used in mission critical applications. Geoffrey began working for Ipsen in 2005 and has supported Ipsen’s expansion into diverse global markets including Aviation, Space Launch, Energy and Defense while emphasizing the aftermarket business, which is now more than half of annual revenues.   Geoffrey began his career near Stuttgart, Germany while working for a German builder of automotive assembly plants. He then continued with that company based in the US until 2004.  Geoffrey serves on the board of Directors of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest and volunteers in several community organizations. He graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.

AI Webinar Series.png
Event

Where Do We Start? – From AI Hype to Business Value

📅 September 30, 2026 | 11 AM–12 PM CDT |📍Virtual | English | Free

AI Webinar Series.png
Event

What Has to Be in Place? – Data, Technology, Security, and Governance

📅 October 21, 2026 | 11 AM–12 PM CDT |📍Virtual | English | Free

AI Webinar Series.png
Event

How Do We Bring the Organization Along? – Culture, Policy, Skills, and Responsible Experimentation

📅 November 18, 2026 | 11 AM–12 PM CST |📍Virtual | English | Free

Your contacts

Searching for something else?

In our information centre, you can find the latest news, downloads, videos, podcasts...

Go to Info Hub