Angela Domes: How AI is moving from experimentation to everyday use

1) Rethinking: The first step towards AI integration

"Before we at biz2byte even thought about which AI tools might be useful for us, we first had to change our way of thinking. AI is not just another tool that you can “try out”. It challenges processes, changes roles, takes time – and, above all, requires an environment that is ready to embrace new ideas.

For me as managing director, that meant creating space. We had to allow our employees to engage with AI. This requires the right mindset within the company. Using AI requires curiosity, a willingness to experiment and the confidence to make mistakes.

At the same time, we also had to deal with uncertainties. Of course, we had fears at the beginning – and that's okay. The important thing was that we addressed them openly. We sat down together, talked and discussed. I made it clear that for us, AI is not a threat, but a tool that can help us improve.

So the rethinking doesn't start with the choice of tools. It starts with the corporate culture. And it requires a clear stance from management: AI is not hype – it's here to stay. So let's make the most of it together."

2) Getting an overview: finding your way through the AI jungle

"Once we had initiated the necessary rethinking within the team, the next step was to get our bearings. AI is a huge, dynamic field with constantly new tools, possibilities and terms. Especially at the beginning, this was overwhelming for many. That's why we said: we don't need an overview of everything, but of what is important to us right now.

Instead of getting lost in endless training courses or poring over tool directories, we chose a different path: we started with our specific tasks. Where are the bottlenecks in our daily work? What takes a lot of time but requires little creative energy? And above all: which of these tasks could potentially be made easier by AI?

It quickly became clear that there is no one right AI solution, but many different approaches – depending on whether it's text, images, research or video. The tools may change, but what remains the same is our principle: first comes the use case, then the tool.

An internal Teams channel where everyone can share their discoveries, questions or experiences with AI was also particularly helpful for us. In addition, we have launched a weekly, voluntary AI meeting – our ‘AI Weekly’. There, we talk about new tools, show practical application examples and openly exchange positive and negative experiences. This creates a continuous learning process that is not controlled from the executive suite, but grows from within.

3) First steps: From trial and error to everyday use

‘Our first practical steps with AI did not follow any sophisticated strategy. We deliberately opted for the trial-and-error principle. We started with what is probably the best-known tool: ChatGPT. It was low-threshold, intuitive to use and immediately provided some ’aha" moments. But we quickly realised that for some requirements – such as writing search engine optimised texts – GPT was not the right tool stylistically. So we added “Claude”.

Today, we rely on “Gamma” for presentations, and in video editing we look at what is already possible in Adobe. We are also testing what makes sense with AI tools in programming. Tools such as Canva, Perplexity, Hubspot, Microsoft Copilot and artificial intelligence in Teams were also quickly put to use. Everyone in the team was allowed to experiment, provided they had a clear use case. And: the tools were never used without careful consideration. Everything that comes from AI is post-processed, checked and adapted before it is reused internally or externally – especially in customer projects. Today, we also create AI agents, for example for internal processes, but we also use them in collaboration with our customers.

For us, this pragmatic, step-by-step approach was exactly the right way to go. It sparked curiosity and integrated AI into our everyday work bit by bit.

4) Get employees on board – and take their concerns seriously

"One of the most important insights I gained when I first started working with AI was that nothing works without the people in the team. However, you can't automatically assume that everyone will be immediately enthusiastic about the technology. For many people, AI is not only new, but also unsettling. Especially in creative professions – such as video editing or content creation, as in our case – fears understandably arose: Will AI replace my job? Will I become redundant? These thoughts are human. And that's exactly why we didn't sweep them under the carpet, but actively addressed them. We sought dialogue, sat down together and said: Yes, this is new. Yes, it changes things. But: No, it's not about replacing people – it's about giving them tools that relieve them and enrich their work.

What helped me was to clearly position the topic. I declared AI to be a strategic issue for the company internally. That was the official starting signal. It was no longer a gimmick for individual tech enthusiasts, but a joint project. That provided structure – and security."

5) Keep at it: continue learning and stay up to date

"AI is not a project with a clear beginning and end – it is an ongoing learning process. Anyone who thinks that selecting a few tools is the end of the story will quickly realise that the biggest challenge begins afterwards. This is because the technology is developing rapidly. What is new today will be standard tomorrow – or already obsolete.

For us, this means we have to keep at it. And we have to do so consciously. We have therefore created fixed structures for continuously sharing knowledge within the team. Our “AI Weekly” is a central component of this. In addition, we have started to educate ourselves in a targeted manner – through newsletters, blogs, webinars and training courses, but also through exchanges with other agencies. One format that I really appreciate, for example, is “AgenturCamp”: a space where agency owners can openly exchange their experiences with AI. Initiatives like this not only help us stay on the ball professionally, but also provide valuable external input.

And yet, for me, the rule is still: don't chase every hype. In our fast-paced industry, it is crucial to calmly assess what is really relevant. Not every new feature is a game changer. It is crucial that we understand why we use AI – and what specific benefits it brings us. That is why we continue to focus on our own use cases. Because in the end, it's not about using the most tools – it's about using the right ones. And that can only be achieved if we approach the topic with an open mind, curiosity and reflection."