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We fast-track your organization into the AI era

Work with us to build up your competitive advantage and transform your AI investments into measurable business value

About

As the founder of AI Bridge, AI Strategist, (ex-) senior data scientist, and former Data & AI practitioner at organizations including Ernst & Young , Swiss Re, and swissQuant, Afke Schouten has over 10 years of experience leading AI projects. On a mission to help organizations generate business value through AI, Afke is listed among the important people of 2024 by Handelszeitung.

Her expertise and her ability to communicate complex ideas in an accessible manner makes her a sought-after trainer for analytics translation and a facilitator for strategy workshops. Frequently appearing in media outlets, serving as a guest on numerous podcasts, and engaging as a public speaker, Afke Schouten has become a recognized voice in the data science community.

Afke Schouten studied mathematics at Leiden University and econometrics and management science at the Erasmus School of Economics. She leads the MAS AI Leadership at HWZ Zurich and serves as the program director for the CAS AI Management and the CAS AI Transformation. Additionally, she lectures on AI and AI Management in various CAS programs.

Services

Training

Engaging trainings covering key aspects of AI and how to manage AI projects in an organization. The training duration is between 4 hours and 3 days, depending on the content and your specific goals.

Trainings:

  • Data Driven Decision Making
  • AI Management Compact
  • Analytics Translation
  • AI for Users
  • AI for Board of Directors / AI for Executives

Keynote Speeches

Expert insights on the challenges and opportunities of using AI to drive business results.

Topics:

  • Transforming the Workforce: Understanding AI’s Revolutionary Impact
  • Is Your Organization AI-Ready? An Introduction to the AI Maturity Journey
  • Is AI a Game Changer for SMEs? Exploring Value, Risks, and Opportunities
  • Transforming Your Business: The Power of an AI Strategy for Generating Value

Retainer Packages

On-demand advisory and support to those in the organization who are at the forefront of driving innovation with AI.

Upskilling Strategy

Prepare for the AI journey by enhancing your teams’ AI skills. The upskilling strategy defines learning journeys including tailored content for different personas in your organization.

Workshops

Hands-on workshops for organizations who are in the process of defining or refining their vision and strategy for AI.

Topics:

  • AI Visioning
  • Use Case Ideation
  • Use Case Ideation
  • Use Case Definition

Public Trainings and Certification at HWZ

Certificates of Advanced Studies (CAS) and two-days seminars that prepare participants for the management of AI within an organization.:

Testimonials

Afke did a great job engaging the participants in sharing their knowledge, experience, and challenges in AI projects. She guided the discussions well and where possible shared her own experience and great tips & tricks on how to make AI work in an organization. Her in depth knowledge of the industry helped us to put our own AI maturity in perspective. The course triggered us to take action in different areas, including introducing the role of analytics translator. The course is still discussed regularly internally, and it was a great inspiration for us. We are planning several next courses within our organization to bring the AI enabling to the next level
Lisa WeinzierlCo-lead Data & Insights at Swiss Post
At our Innovation forum, Afke spoke about AI in a way that was easy to understand and made her talk personal, connecting to her own private life. She engaged the audience in an interactive way and helped us see how AI can be useful for us. She used her own experiences to explain things in a clear way. After listening to her, we all felt excited and ready to do more with AI in our company and embrace the topic in a positive way. If you want to learn about AI and how it can help, Afke is the person to talk to.
Bruno LochbrunnerInnovation Manager at SBB
I have worked with Afke to generate AI Use Cases for Finance & Controlling of an SME (manufacturing Industry). The lean, structured process and the ability of Afke to ask the right questions were detrimental to successfully generate a large number of Use Cases. It did not stop there, as she also delivered clear guidance for next steps. If you do not know where to start with AI, I can strongly recommend to talk to Afke.
CFOSME
Afke moderated our committee retreat in April 2023. She helped us recognise the various things we want to do as a club, how we achieve them, the different roles needed to achieve them, and which roles are responsible for which achievement. She created an open, judgement-free environment where we were able to structure our thoughts and ideas. I felt highly appreciated in my view on things and can safely say that everyone felt the same way.
Louise OttermanKorfball Club Zurich
People enjoy listening to Afke's presentation. In her affable manner, she manages to distill complex matters into concise points using practical examples, and motivates the audience to question things.
Christoph LanterEntrepreneur | Board member | Moderator
At the FuW Insurance Broker forum hosted at the Gottlieb Duttweiller Institute, Afke gave a compelling impulse on the topic of ChatGPT. With a balanced view, she highlighted both the potential opportunities and challenges AI presents, especially in the insurance brokerage sector. Afke emphasized the importance of envisioning practical use cases, equipping our workforce with the right knowledge, and understanding AI's overarching impact on the workforce. It was an eye-opener for many of us, prompting critical thought about our current strategies and future directions. Anyone in the insurance sector looking to get a grasp on the evolving landscape of AI should undoubtedly engage in a conversation with Afke. She was eager to further engage with the community and answer questions after her presentation at the networking part. It was a pleasure to have her at the conference and I am looking forward to have her again at one of our events.
Samuel SchweigerConference Development Manager FuW
Afke moderated our Workshop “Generative AI at Contact Center” with great professionalism and enthusiasm. Participants were able to jointly define the Contact Center Vision in relation to the integration of AI into work processes and customer interactions. It helped us to identify the key questions to answer, in order to achieve these ambitious goals and define a first Roadmap with the first tasks to be performed. Its inputs have a real added value for our entire organization.
Jean-Jacques ToffelLeiter Verkauf KMU und Contact Center Post CH Netz AG
I had the pleasure of organising a workshop on AI strategy for business people in my company led by an incredible facilitator. Her expertise and passion for the subject were truly inspiring. She broke down complex concepts into easy-to-understand, actionable steps, making the material accessible to everyone. The directors left the workshop with a clear understanding of how AI can benefit the business and a roadmap to implement it effectively. Thank you for such an enlightening experience!  Senior Data Product Owner SMG Swiss Marketplace Group AG
Amy Raygada Senior Data Product Owner SMG Swiss Marketplace Group AG
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In the Media

Diese Personen werden 2024 wichtig

Published in Handelszeitung in January 2024

Top 50 Thought Leaders to Influence Your Mind

Published on Global AI Hub in February 2022

Succes Factors for Adoption of AI in your Organization

Published on Swiss Insights in November 2021

Handelszeitung Podcast

Keine Ahnung von Artificial Intelligence? Dann sind Sie hier richtig!

So geht künstliche Intelligenz für KMU

Published in Handelszeitung in October 2021.

The Data & AI Maturity Journey Panel Discussion

Panel discussion at the Applied Machine Learning days 2022.

Ready for AI?

Machine Learning ist die Grundlage für rasante technologische Evolution. Die Frage stellt sich, sind Firmen überhaupt bereit für die Evolution? Keynote and Paneldiscussion in 2022.

Management Consulting Awards 2023

Published in Wealth & Finance International Magazine in November 2023

KI für KMU: eine Anleitung in Zehn Schritten

Published in KMU Rundschau in April 2021

Risiken, Ängste, Chancen und Nutzen für KMU

Published in Polyscope in April 2021.

The Impact of Leadership on Generating Business Value with AI

Talk at the Applied Machine Learning days in January 2020.

white wooden rack

KI ist viel mehr als nur Nebeneffekt

Die Framework-Autoren Afke Schouten und Peter Metzinger zeigen in einer Forschungsarbeit auf, mit welchem Framework künstliche Intelligenz erfolgreich in Unternehmen eingeführt werden kann.

ChatGPT – was steckt hinter dem neuen KI-Hype?

ChatGPT – ein Chatbot, der gerade in der Tech-Szene viel Aufmerksamkeit auf sich zieht. Doch was steckt hinter diesem Hype?

KI in der Kommunikation: Expertin Afke Schouten erklärt, wie Unternehmen KI nutzen können

Published on economiesuisse in October 2023

Jeder muss sich überlegen, was KI für den Job bedeutet

Published in Handelszeitung in April 2023.

Künstliche Intelligenz: «Wir stehen erst am Anfang – bereitet euch auf diese Revolution vor»

Published in ThurgauerZeitung in April 2023.

AI For Executives - Podcast

Published on YouTube in February 2023.

There is much more behind the adoption of AI than just the “Tech”

Published on Swiss Association for MBAs in December 2022.

ChatGPT sessista?

Interview with Swiss Radio RSI in January 2023.

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