What AI strategies
are there?
are there?
Bottom-up from use cases
or top-down with AI-first
or top-down with AI-first
Artificial Intelligence & Data – Impact Instead of Hype
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing business models. The decisive factor is not whether companies use AI, but how quickly and, above all, how effectively.
Horn & Company supports you from the identification and prioritization of effective AI use cases to the scalable anchoring of AI in your AI strategy and AI operating model, right through to the consistent AI-first transformation of your business model.
What AI means for you and your business
Many executives are faced with the same question: What does AI mean for my company and for my responsibility as a decision-maker?
Our answer: When used correctly, artificial intelligence becomes a strategic lever for better decisions, higher productivity, and sustainable competitiveness.
AI, machine learning, and data analytics are not ends in themselves. They only have an impact when strategy, organization, processes, and technology are consistently considered together.
As a top management consultancy, we support you in
- strategically anchoring AI in your business model,
- measurably improving your decision-making and control capabilities,
- establishing clear structures for the use and operation of AI,
- intelligently automating and gradually autonomizing processes,
- integrating governance as well as regulatory and legal requirements from the outset.
What sets us apart: We combine strategic leadership perspective with operational implementation power. Together with selected technology partners, we deliver not only concepts, but also effective AI solutions and engineering capacities – so that AI initiatives result in sustainable competitive advantages.
Initialization: AI use cases & pilot applications
The introduction of AI is pragmatic: it involves clearly prioritized use cases that quickly deliver tangible benefits in everyday operations. Proven general-purpose AI tools such as Copilot, ChatGPT, or Gemini are often used for this purpose.
These applications reduce the workload on employees, improve workplace activities, and make the potential of AI visible at an early stage. At the same time, the central management question arises: How can benefits, scalability, and controllability be ensured in the long term?
Scaling: AI Strategy & AI Operating Model
To ensure that initial successes have a lasting impact, use cases are prioritized, interlinked, and aligned with a clear AI strategy. This consistently prevents shadow AI and uncontrolled proliferation of tools.
The AI target operating model defines the operational implementation: clear responsibilities, transparent control mechanisms, and stable structures. This allows AI solutions to be scaled and transferred to other areas without destabilizing the business model. AI becomes a reliable part of day-to-day business.
Transformation: AI-First
AI-first goes far beyond traditional digitalization. Companies are fundamentally redesigning work, value creation, and decision-making. The paradigm shift from “IT follows process” to “process follows technology” opens up new scope for action.
AI agents take on operational and analytical tasks, make decisions independently, and continuously optimize processes in real time. Processes are being rethought from end to end. This is giving rise to highly adaptive organizations that respond faster, manage more precisely, and systematically scale innovation.
AI-first means anchoring AI as a strategic core. This paradigm creates the basis for sustainable growth, greater competitiveness, and an organization that actively shapes its own transformation.
What does AI First mean?
AI-first means
establishing AI
not as a tool,
but as a strategic
core element.
establishing AI
not as a tool,
but as a strategic
core element.
AI-first vs.
digitalization?
digitalization?
Digitization automates
existing processes –
AI-First designs
processes autonomously
existing processes –
AI-First designs
processes autonomously
Is AI-first only relevant
for large corporations?
for large corporations?
No.
The decisive factor is
willingness to transform,
not size.
The decisive factor is
willingness to transform,
not size.
Why is the use case
approach difficult?
approach difficult?
Uncontrolled growth
and shadow
AI are emerging
– governance is the path
to a sustainable
AI strategy
and shadow
AI are emerging
– governance is the path
to a sustainable
AI strategy
How do you get started
with AI First?
with AI First?
With leadership, impact,
and high speed
and high speed
How can scaling
be achieved?
be achieved?
Through
strategic objectives,
top-down governance,
and clear management
strategic objectives,
top-down governance,
and clear management
Do you need your own AI
teams right away?
teams right away?
No. Clear roles,
responsibilities,
and governance
are crucial.
responsibilities,
and governance
are crucial.
Why transformation requires AI consulting
Our experts
OUR PartnerShips
Ready to take the next step?
Whether you have initial ideas or concrete plans, we listen, ask questions, and develop them further together. In a non-binding initial consultation, we clarify where you stand and how we can support you.