Artificial Intelligence is a disruptive technology. To stay in business over the coming years, manufacturing companies must adopt AI in both their operations and products. Therefore, it is essential to identify and implement suitable AI Use Cases.
Figure 1: Suitable AI Use Cases. Figure based on Brown, T. (2009). Change by Design. How design thinking transforms
However, SMEs often lack the experience and resources required to adopt AI in their operations quickly. Only in one third of the cases the Technology is the problem. In most of the cases the Use Case and related expectations and readiness is the problem.
Figure 2: Reasons for the failure of AI projects. (ID. AI Global Survey)
To support our DUSA members through this transition, DUSA is launching the DUSA AI Circle in partnership with the International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at XJTLU. Our goal is not to build individual, custom AI solutions with or for the SMEs. Instead, this initiative is designed to help you better understand the technology, identify practical business applications, and map out available market solutions that fit your local operations.
Approach of the DUSA AI Circle
To keep complexity low and avoid confidentiality issues, we will focus on use cases and applications in the office environment rather than the manufacturing shopfloor. Applications is this area also allow to use more standardized solutions from the market rather than highly customized solutions tailormade for each company. Making it more scalable and affordable as well as accelerate the implementation.
A good solution originates in the exploration and concretization of a problem. Hence, we follow a systematic Innovation process in two Phases based on the miKia Model.
Figure 3: Phased approach based on a proved process
Phase 1
In Phase 1, we will hold two workshops focused on the identification and exploration of the needs and the creation of ideas and formulation in form of use cases.
Figure 4: Steps of DUSA AI Circle Phase 1
Activities and Results of the phases and workshops.
Figure 5: Activities and Results
Getting Started
Complete the Survey
The survey takes <10 minutes and is anonymous!
To align this initiative with your operational reality and specific resource constraints, we need your baseline data.
We request that Managing Directors, CEOs, COOs, CTOs, or equivalent site leaders complete our anonymous 10-minute diagnostic survey. Your input will directly define the focus areas of the upcoming workshops and ensure the mapped market solutions match your actual needs.
We will share the aggregated insights from the member survey in the upcoming DUSA events so that you can benchmark yourself against the other member companies.
Our first interactive workshop will take place on June 17, 2026. During this session, we will share the aggregated insights from the member survey and open the application process for companies wishing to join the core AI Circle cohort.
