Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
How do you actually scale AI and turn it into real business value?
In this talk, Lukas Kölbl (Managing Director, AI & Data at Accenture) breaks down the missing link between AI experimentation and measurable business impact. Moving beyond hype, he explains why most companies struggle to scale AI and what it really takes to make it work at an enterprise level.
📌 Key insights from this talk:
- Why most AI and GenAI projects fail to deliver ROI
- The gap between pilots (PoCs) and real business value
- Why process transformation matters more than models
- How to align AI strategy with business goals (growth vs. cost reduction)
- Real examples from financial services and large enterprises
- The truth about productivity gains (and why they don’t always impact P&L)
🚀 If you're interested in Scaling AI, enterprise AI strategy, or turning GenAI into measurable outcomes, this session gives a practical, no-nonsense perspective from industry experience.
This talk was part of the Data Analytics Jamboree in Vienna, hosted by the Department of Economics at Central European University (CEU) and the Vienna Data Science Group. The event brought together data scientists, analysts, engineers, managers, and students for an exchange on real-world analytics and AI-driven business solutions.
🌍 With international speakers from Austria, USA, Germany, and Hungary, the Jamboree featured expert talks, a keynote, roundtable discussions, and networking opportunities—reflecting CEU’s global and forward-looking approach to data science.
Learn more about the MS in Business Analytics program at CEU:
https://www.ceu.edu/academics/degrees/ms-business-analytics
About CEU
Central European University (CEU) is a research-focused university offering a wide spectrum of interdisciplinary undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the heart of Europe. Our ever-growing international community of students, alumni, permanent and visiting faculty and program partners enables you to challenge conventional wisdom, explore diverse perspectives and critically examine the biggest challenges of the 21st century.
More from CEU:
Website: https://www.ceu.edu/
Facebook: facebook.com/WeAreCEU
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/weareceu.bsky.social
Instagram: instagram.com/weareceu
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/school/central-european-university
Threads: threads.net/@weareceu
Subscribe for more videos:
youtube.com/CentralEuropeanUniversityChannel
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction & Speaker Welcome
0:36 Who is Lukas Kölbl? (Accenture & AI Leadership)
1:40 The Real Question: AI Use Cases vs Business Value
2:26 Accenture’s AI & Data Expertise Overview
3:08 The Evolution of AI: From Hype to Scaling
4:00 Industry Reality: AI Maturity vs Productivity Gains
5:10 Top GenAI Use Cases (Knowledge, Coding, Contact Centers)
6:04 The Missing Link: Why AI Isn’t Delivering ROI
6:45 Scaling AI Framework: Start with Strategy, Not Tech
7:50 Common Mistake: Random AI Use Case Selection
8:39 Process-First Thinking for Real Impact
9:26 Why Technology Comes Last
9:33 AI in Software Development: What Changes?
10:10 The Productivity Paradox (Why Efficiency ≠ Profit)
11:05 AI’s Real Impact on Jobs & Workforce Structure
12:03 Two Paths: More Output vs Fewer Resources
12:35 How to Achieve Cost Reduction with AI
13:20 Final Takeaway: Focus on Processes, Not Just AI Models
14:05 Hiring in AI & Data (Accenture Opportunities)
14:26 Q&A
#SeeUatCEU #ScalingAI #GenAI #AIStrategy
How do you actually scale AI and turn it into real business value?
In this talk, Lukas Kölbl (Managing Director, AI & Data at Accenture) breaks down the missing link between AI experimentation and measurable business impact. Moving beyond hype, he explains why most companies struggle to scale AI and what it really takes to make it work at an enterprise level.
📌 Key insights from this talk:
- Why most AI and GenAI projects fail to deliver ROI
- The gap between pilots (PoCs) and real business value
- Why process transformation matters more than models
- How to align AI strategy with business goals (growth vs. cost reduction)
- Real examples from financial services and large enterprises
- The truth about productivity gains (and why they don’t always impact P&L)
🚀 If you're interested in Scaling AI, enterprise AI strategy, or turning GenAI into measurable outcomes, this session gives a practical, no-nonsense perspective from industry experience.
This talk was part of the Data Analytics Jamboree in Vienna, hosted by the Department of Economics at Central European University (CEU) and the Vienna Data Science Group. The event brought together data scientists, analysts, engineers, managers, and students for an exchange on real-world analytics and AI-driven business solutions.
🌍 With international speakers from Austria, USA, Germany, and Hungary, the Jamboree featured expert talks, a keynote, roundtable discussions, and networking opportunities—reflecting CEU’s global and forward-looking approach to data science.
Learn more about the MS in Business Analytics program at CEU:
https://www.ceu.edu/academics/degrees/ms-business-analytics
About CEU
Central European University (CEU) is a research-focused university offering a wide spectrum of interdisciplinary undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the heart of Europe. Our ever-growing international community of students, alumni, permanent and visiting faculty and program partners enables you to challenge conventional wisdom, explore diverse perspectives and critically examine the biggest challenges of the 21st century.
More from CEU:
Website: https://www.ceu.edu/
Facebook: facebook.com/WeAreCEU
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/weareceu.bsky.social
Instagram: instagram.com/weareceu
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/school/central-european-university
Threads: threads.net/@weareceu
Subscribe for more videos:
youtube.com/CentralEuropeanUniversityChannel
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction & Speaker Welcome
0:36 Who is Lukas Kölbl? (Accenture & AI Leadership)
1:40 The Real Question: AI Use Cases vs Business Value
2:26 Accenture’s AI & Data Expertise Overview
3:08 The Evolution of AI: From Hype to Scaling
4:00 Industry Reality: AI Maturity vs Productivity Gains
5:10 Top GenAI Use Cases (Knowledge, Coding, Contact Centers)
6:04 The Missing Link: Why AI Isn’t Delivering ROI
6:45 Scaling AI Framework: Start with Strategy, Not Tech
7:50 Common Mistake: Random AI Use Case Selection
8:39 Process-First Thinking for Real Impact
9:26 Why Technology Comes Last
9:33 AI in Software Development: What Changes?
10:10 The Productivity Paradox (Why Efficiency ≠ Profit)
11:05 AI’s Real Impact on Jobs & Workforce Structure
12:03 Two Paths: More Output vs Fewer Resources
12:35 How to Achieve Cost Reduction with AI
13:20 Final Takeaway: Focus on Processes, Not Just AI Models
14:05 Hiring in AI & Data (Accenture Opportunities)
14:26 Q&A
#SeeUatCEU #ScalingAI #GenAI #AIStrategy
