Bad Lauterberg, February 16, 2024 - The chairmen of the regional guilds met in Bad Lauterberg on February 16, 2024 for the conference of the Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Stade Chamber of Skilled Crafts. In addition to trade policy, reports, exchanges and awards, the focus this year was on artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalization. The DAISEC and the skilled crafts research project HaMiZu accompanied the program from the scientific side.
After a political discussion with Hubertus Heil, the Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, in the morning, the technical part of the conference began after the lunch break. Walter Pirk from the Heinz Piest Institute for Skilled Crafts Technology and skilled crafts expert at DAISEC outlined a scenario for the future use of new technologies such as AI in the skilled crafts sector and appealed to the innovative strength of master craftsmen and women. Julian Laue, DAISEC expert for artificial intelligence, then presented the functionality of AI algorithms in his talk, thus helping to demystify the concept of AI.
The 140 participants then split into groups and went through the "technology course", where the DAISEC experts presented specific examples of the use of digital technologies in the skilled trades at five stations. Julian Laue and Markus Engel showed them how they can use language models such as ChatGPT or image generation models such as Stable Diffusion in their businesses. Lukas Fischer introduced them to possible applications of AI in the production environment, while Marijn Goutier and Karl-Otto Hilbig gave them a hands-on experience of digitalization with the topics of smart homes and 3D printing. But the security aspect was not neglected either: Jan-Ulrich Holtgrave sensitized the participants to how AI can be used as a weapon against companies and what companies need to pay attention to when it comes to cyber security.
In addition to visiting the course stations, the participants also completed an opinion survey on the use of the technologies presented, which was collected and evaluated by the HaMiZu team. The survey results showed that the majority of those present were open to the use of AI technologies in their companies or were already using AI tools. In general, the survey and the discussions with the DAISEC team indicated a growing interest in and acceptance of digital technologies in the skilled trades. At the same time, however, they also highlighted issues where skilled crafts businesses can receive support from institutions such as DAISEC or the Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Hannover in the future in order to drive digitalization forward.
The DAISEC team would like to thank the Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Stade Chamber of Crafts for the invitation to the Obermeistertagung and the interest shown by all participants in the presentations and demonstrations.
About the Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Stade Chamber of Crafts
With around 29,000 member companies, the Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Stade Chamber of Skilled Crafts is the largest chamber of skilled crafts in northern Germany. It offers its members a comprehensive range of services and advice, from business start-ups to business succession. In addition, its experienced advisors support member companies on issues such as business management, marketing, law, environmental protection and occupational health and safety, foreign trade and digitalization in the skilled trades sector. Learn more
About the HaMiZu project
The aim of the Handwerk mit Zukunft (HaMiZu) project is to promote the development and use of innovative technologies in the skilled crafts sector. In the future, craft businesses should be able to offer new types of craft services or provide their services more efficiently and sustainably than before. Learn more
