Smart Industry 2026: How to Move Forward with AI in Practice

Author: Elo Gaver

Smart Industry 2026 brought together Estonian manufacturing companies and leaders who work daily with the digitalisation and development of business processes. Digiwise founder and digitalisation expert Lauri Antalainen took the main stage, where his presentation was followed by more than 100 participants.

In his presentation, “From Ideas to Action: How to Systematically Apply AI in Industry,” Lauri explained why many companies that have already encountered artificial intelligence are still not seeing real results.

The main challenge is not the technology, but the approach. AI is often used in a fragmented way – there is no clear understanding of how it should create value for the company, or it is not used at all.

Lauri emphasised that implementing AI is not about introducing a single tool or project, but about integrating it into the entire organisation – from employees and processes to the supply chain. Only then can it create real impact.

The practical part of the presentation focused on where to start: mapping processes, identifying areas where AI can save time and resources, and defining clear metrics to measure results.

One key takeaway stood out – AI is no longer something to “experiment with,” but a tool that needs to be applied deliberately. Companies that adopt a systematic approach will inevitably move faster than those that choose to wait.