AI, Data & Tech

At the frontiers of IT Auditing

What happens when you apply Spotify’s simplicity to something as complex as insurance? The story of Zurich Insurance shows how an AI-driven CRM not only speeds up processes, but also fundamentally transforms the advisor’s role — from administrative to consultative.

What happens when machines start co-writing your hits? In 2024, Björn Ulvaeus, ABBA legend, musical visionary, and co-founder of the Mamma Mia! Phenomenon, hands over part of his songwriting process to artificial intelligence for the first time. Not a robotic voice singing “Dancing Queen,” but an AI system that helps him search for melodies, lyrical fragments, and even dramaturgical twists for his new musical. “It’s like having an extra songwriter in the room,” Ulvaeus says in an interview. Not one with an ego or deadline issues, but a machine that endlessly supplies new ideas based on hundreds of ABBA songs, musical classics, and textual references that Ulvaeus himself feeds into it. Not to replace himself, but to leap forward when he feels stuck. What makes this collaboration fascinating isn’t the technology itself. It’s the mental shift: one of the most successful songwriters of the 20th century consciously chooses to open up his creative bubble. He admits: even after a career filled with gold records, you can still hit a wall. And maybe, just maybe, a machine can give you that extra push. Ulvaeus isn’t alone. More and more leaders, creatives, and strategists are discovering how AI not only speeds up processes but also opens new perspectives.

Every morning, Marc, a man in his fifties from West Flanders, slides open the barn door. It’s quiet. No bellowing animals, no chaos. His fifty dairy cows lie calmly, chewing their cud. But even before he lays eyes on a single animal, Marc already knows which one isn’t quite herself. A notification appears on his smartphone: “Cow 227 – abnormal rumination pattern + elevated temperature.” One tap further reveals: restlessness during the night, reduced movement, heart rate 7% above baseline. Marc doesn’t need more. He knows Cow 227 is on the verge of developing mastitis. In the past, he would have noticed it two days later, when her milk production had already begun to drop. Today, he intervenes before things take a serious turn. Not just because of his experience. But because of artificial intelligence.

On AI, maintenance, and the art of thinking machines In a Siemens factory, a digital agent predicts a failure before anything goes wrong. Using vibration data, temperature shifts, and historical patterns, a part is replaced before it breaks. No downtime, no panic, no loss. Welcome to the world of agentic AI: systems that don’t just measure, but think, learn, and suggest decisions. Siemens’ maintenance agents analyze millions of data points in real time and recommend actions that go beyond reactive fixes. The result? A 25–30% reduction in unplanned downtime, lower costs, and less pressure on technicians and planners. But the real story is not just technical, it’s a mindset shift. AI doesn’t just make production more efficient, it makes it smarter. Human and machine are no longer opposites, but partners. Do you, as a leader, want to understand how AI systems like these can strengthen your strategy? Discover the Masterclass AI & Strategy for Executives with https://www.tias.edu/en/about-tias/profile/jeroen-de-flander at TIAS. In just three days, you’ll learn how AI becomes a lever for better analysis, faster decision-making, and more effective execution, without technical prerequisites, but with maximum impact.