“AI is not a technological gadget”

How are synthetic intelligence (AI) and information truly remodeling industrial fashions, past the hype?

– “AI is transforming the industry not because it is ‘intelligent’, but because it makes operational models measurable, predictive and controllable in real time. The real breakthrough is not the chatbot, but the ability to optimise an entire value chain—production, maintenance, supply chain, compliance—based on reliable, integrated data. At EY, we see that the players who create value are those who connect AI, data governance and internal control. AI is not a technological gadget: it is a lever for performance and industrial resilience.

It still needs to be industrialised, not just tested in the laboratory.

What place does digital and industrial sovereignty occupy in European companies’ strategies today?

“Sovereignty is no longer a political issue, it is a matter of competitiveness. Dependence on infrastructure, models or suppliers outside Europe exposes companies to major strategic risks: cyber, regulatory and geopolitical. European companies are realising that controlling their data, algorithms and supply chains is a prerequisite for long-term stability. Luxembourg, for example, shows that it is possible to reconcile international openness with high regulatory standards. We support this pragmatic approach to sovereignty: securing without closing ourselves off, innovating without losing control.

Industrial transformation is also human: what key skills do companies need to develop now in order to successfully achieve this (re)invention?

“The primary skill is not technical: it is the ability to work with AI without being dependent on it. We need to train hybrid profiles, data literate, capable of understanding a model, challenging its results and measuring its biases. Next, governance becomes central: ethics, control, risk management. Finally, a culture of change is crucial. Transformation rarely fails due to a lack of technology; it fails due to a lack of human alignment. At EY, we always emphasise this three-pronged approach: competence, responsibility and leadership.”

This article was initially written , translated and edited for the Paperjam web site in English.