Let's imagine: Europe develops artificial intelligence without handing over sensitive data, without dependence on US clouds, and without building expensive new data centers.

What still sounds like a vision today is technically possible with the SplitNFed approach: a concept for data-sovereign, distributed AI training that uses existing IT infrastructure instead of replacing it.

In our new white paper, we show how companies can use SplitNFed to protect their data, make better use of existing IT infrastructure, and train AI securely and collaboratively, even with limited computing resources—all in a sovereign, efficient, and scalable manner.

Click here for the (German) white paper: https://lnkd.in/e7FNUqHe

I was interviewed by hessenschau on how AI is changing administration, using the example of Lufthansa, which plans to cut 4,000 jobs.

My key points:

• AI rarely replaces entire jobs, but rather individual routine tasks.
• People remain in demand for exceptions, quality assurance, complex decisions, and direct customer contact.
• There is great potential in processes with clear rules, many data points, and repetitions – e.g., accounting, master data maintenance, or standard customer service inquiries.
• AI therefore does not so much replace humans as shift what those humans do.
• Politicians need to strike the right balance: clear rules for transparency and liability, but at the same time heavy investment in training.
• We should not prevent AI, but shape it: with clear rules and a focus on opportunities rather than fears.

The full interview is available here: https://lnkd.in/eghMHfrW

Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) are a novel phenomenon gaining widespread attention from academics and practitioners in recent years. CBDCs combine new technology-enabled infrastructure and service innovation from the realm of FinTech and Decentralized Finance with the well-established and highly regulated area of central banking. While current practice and research primarily focus on designing specific CBDC systems or the governmental role, the role of companies and the private sector in the CBDC ecosystem still needs to be explored.

Addressing this gap is particularly pertinent given the uncertainty surrounding which value propositions from traditional financial ecosystems and those from Fintech and blockchain-based financial ecosystems might be transferable to the realm of CBDCs. In this regard, the potential emergence of entirely novel value propositions companies could offer uniquely to CBDCs adds another layer of complexity.

Our recently published paper aims to fill this gap by shedding light on private organizations’ value propositions in CBDC ecosystems. Through a multivocal literature review, we comprehensively gather both academic and practitioner insights. We aggregate value propositions directly stated in the current literature base and verify and complement these findings by mapping the needs of a CBDC ecosystem to value propositions companies might offer to fulfill these needs.

I am happy that our paper “A Multivocal Literature Review on Capturing Value Propositions for Private Organizations in a CBDC Ecosystem” has been accepted for publication in Communications of the Association for Information Systems (CAIS).

Coopetition dynamics, which refer to the simultaneous competition and cooperation, increasingly affect the management of digital supply chains. Current research profoundly explores the benefits and drawbacks of using blockchain systems in coopetition strategies to boost cooperation and automation in supply chains. However, these systems often do not adequately address how to manage competition dependencies, which practitioners need to address when considering adopting a blockchain solution that contains excessive disclosure of sensitive information during the data exchange within a transparent network.

Our recently published paper examines how to protect such sensitive information essential for maintaining competitive dynamics. Following a design science research approach, we suggest a blockchain architecture specifically tailored to the construction industry. We focus on components that manage competition and privacy-enhancing technologies that address the trade-off between cooperation benefits and the need to protect sensitive business data, which is especially crucial in supply chain automation. This study contributes to the current scientific discourse by designing and deriving implementation guidelines for a solution that incorporates the benefits while addressing the potential drawbacks of blockchain technology through coopetitive data exchange to diffuse blockchain solutions into practice successfully.

I am happy that our paper “Striking a balance: Designing a blockchain-based solution to navigate coopetition dynamics in supply chain management" has been accepted for publication in Electronic Markets and is now available online (Open Access).

The emergence of agentic information systems (IS) in healthcare marks a shift in the patient-doctor relationship. As agentic IS artifacts are increasingly exhibiting autonomous behavior with expanding decision-making latitude, the traditional dyadic patient-doctor relationship transitions into a triad of patient, agentic IS, and doctor. Agentic IS artifacts no longer merely perform tasks on humans’ behalf but now actively delegate. Levering an in-depth case study on an agentic health companion designed for neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction management, we investigate how agentic IS artifacts alter the patient-doctor relationship.

Drawing on phenomenon-based theorizing, we synthesize our observations through the lens of delegation and expand existing delegation theory in terms of triadic perspectives. Our findings reveal relevant changes in agent attributes and agentic interactions as well as the emergence of conflicts. Based on our theoretical advancements, we derive a framework of triadic delegation. Our research contributes to both theory and practice by providing meaningful theoretical insights into the triadic delegations of humans with increasingly autonomous agentic IS artifacts.

I am happy that our paper “Toward Triadic Delegation: How Agentic IS Artifacts Affect the Patient-Doctor Relationship in Healthcare" has been accepted for publication in the Journal of the Association for Information Systems and is now available online.

Self-sovereign identity (SSI) is a promising paradigm for managing digital identities, offering individuals greater control while enabling more secure and efficient interactions across sectors. Yet, public sector innovation with SSI remains complex. In our paper (open access) that has been published in Government Information Quarterly, we explore how public sector organizations can experiment with and actualize the potential of SSI. Using the affordance-experimentation-actualization (A-E-A) framework, we present findings from a real-world case study on digital tax registration.

Over the past few years, Darmstadt-based artist Rainer Lind has created and published hundreds of video portraits. The films are based on lengthy interviews with people who have something special to say. Among them are many personalities who are active in cultural fields such as art, photography, theater, design, architecture, film, and music.

I feel very honored that Rainer Lind has also created a video portrait of me. In this portrait, I talk about my personal career, my passion for the information systems research field, and my views on the topic of artificial intelligence.

The video portrait can be viewed on the websites of Rainder Lind and the Bertolt Brecht School (German language).

In today’s volatile environment, organizations are constantly striving to optimize their processes to maintain competitive advantages. Thereby, process mining supports data-driven process optimization, for example, through prescriptive process monitoring. So far, prescriptive process monitoring mainly focuses on data from single organizations.

However, there are often similar processes across several organizations with the same process goals but differing activities. This entails the potential for mutual learning from an interorganizational perspective. Yet, since process data contains sensitive information, data sovereignty represents a major requirement. 

Federated learning serves as a promising starting point to do so. Thus, following the design science paradigm, we developed, instantiated, and evaluated an approach for data-sovereign, interorganizational prescriptive process monitoring based on federated learning, providing a proof of concept and a foundation for future research.

I am happy that our paper “Toward Data-Sovereign Prescriptive Process Monitoring – A Federated Learning Approach” has been accepted for presentation at the 33rd European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS 2025). The conference will take place from June 12 to 18 in Amman, Jordan.

I am delighted to have received the Editor of Distinction award from SPRINGER NATURE in the category Author Service for my work as Senior Editor of Electronic Markets. The Springer Nature Author Service Award recognizes exceptional service in improving the author experience and ensuring the peer review process is efficient, constructive and fair.

The tourism industry is facing increasing demand for personalized, 24/7 services while simultaneously grappling with a shortage of skilled workers, rising operational costs, and high customer expectations. Digital solutions, particularly in marketing and sales, play a crucial role in increasing online visibility, enhancing customer engagement, and leveraging recommender systems to personalize offerings and improve decision-making. Generative AI Chatbots have emerged as a promising solution to address these challenges by automating processes, enhancing efficiency, and improving customer communication. However, their successful implementation requires a holistic approach that balances technical feasibility, economic sustainability, legal compliance, and social acceptance. At the same time, the role of digitalization extends beyond customer-facing applications; it is becoming increasingly relevant for back-office processes, helping businesses optimize operations and improve overall efficiency in the tourism sector.

Our recently published whitepaper, based on qualitative research, examines the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating Generative AI Chatbots into tourism businesses. Fifteen expert interviews with professionals from tourism, AI development, law, and marketing were conducted and analyzed using systematic content analysis to identify key factors influencing chatbot adoption. The findings highlight the potential of generative AI to streamline operations, provide immediate customer support, and optimize cost structures. Chatbots can automate repetitive tasks, reducing employee workload while ensuring uninterrupted service availability. They also enhance customer interaction by offering personalized recommendations, guiding users through booking processes, and answering inquiries with contextual relevance.

Despite these advantages, several challenges hinder widespread adoption. Technical barriers include ensuring chatbot accuracy, managing real-time data integration, and preventing issues such as hallucinations or inconsistent responses, all of which require continuous monitoring and system updates. Economic constraints present another obstacle, as the high initial investment, ongoing maintenance costs, and unclear return on investment make companies hesitant to commit to chatbot implementation. Legal and compliance issues, such as adherence to AI regulations, GDPR requirements, and liability concerns, further complicate deployment. Additionally, social resistance remains a significant factor, with employees fearing job displacement and customers displaying reluctance to engage with AI-driven services due to skepticism about reliability and usability.

For Generative AI Chatbots to be successfully integrated into tourism businesses, a balanced and strategic approach is essential. Technological readiness must be ensured through high-quality training data, enhanced chatbot response accuracy, and seamless system integration. Organizational change management plays a crucial role in addressing employee concerns through training and transparent communication. Legal and ethical compliance must be prioritized by adhering to regulations, clearly labeling AI-generated content, and ensuring consumer protection. Furthermore, economic viability should be carefully assessed through a thorough cost-benefit analysis and scalable implementation strategies.

While the adoption of Generative AI Chatbots comes with challenges, it also holds substantial potential to improve service efficiency, lower operational costs, and enhance customer experience. By proactively tackling technical, economic, legal, and social obstacles, businesses can fully leverage AI-driven chatbots and strengthen their competitive edge in the rapidly evolving tourism industry.