Andreas Welsch is a globally recognised business speaker whose extensive experience in enterprise AI and strategic leadership has positioned him at the forefront of corporate transformation.
With a 23-year career including senior roles at SAP, and as the Founder & Chief AI Strategist at Intelligence Briefing, he helps organisations turn technological promise into commercial success.
In this exclusive interview with The AI Speakers Agency, Andreas shares his insights on what it takes for businesses to become AI-ready, how to harvest meaningful value from new technologies, and why leadership in the so-called “agentic AI” era demands more than tools – it demands a new mindset.
Q1: In your view, how would you define ‘agentic AI’, and how is this new wave of intelligent software changing how organisations operate?
Andreas Welsch: “So, there’s something really exciting happening in the software space at the moment, and that is indeed agentic AI. What’s happening is a shift in how we work with software and how software itself functions.
“Instead of giving software rigid rules and instructions – if this happens, then do that – agents can now take a goal that you, as a user, provide. For example, in marketing, they can research and create an ideal customer profile, or in sales, find prospects and do outreach.
“Based on that goal, the agent will define the steps necessary to complete the task. You can provide additional information, such as where to find prospects, what problems or pain points your ideal customer has, and they’ll articulate that to bring back a recommendation or answer you can act on if you wish to.”
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Q2: Many companies are rushing to implement AI, yet few achieve true value. From your experience, what are the most common missteps organisations make in their adoption journey?
Andreas Welsch: “I would say one of the biggest mistakes that companies typically make is starting with the technology first instead of beginning with their business strategy and goals. A lot of times, I see an eagerness to try out the new AI tool just because it’s available.
“My recommendation is always to start with the business strategy: What are we actually trying to achieve in the next 12, 24, or even 36 months? Do we want to double our revenue? Reduce our costs, and by how much?
“From there, identify key performance indicators that show whether you’re on track. Then, finally, see what technology best aligns with that strategy – it might be AI, but it could also be something completely different.”
Q3: Beyond the current hype cycle, where do you see the most transformative long-term applications of AI emerging?
Andreas Welsch: “One thing I’m really excited about is seeing how AI can truly enhance and reshape user experiences. You can already see this in tools like ChatGPT or Copilot, where users can interact naturally in language, generating text, audio, images, and videos.
“But now all of this is merging. We’ll likely see new forms of media that are hyper-personalised to individual preferences and experiences – stories that shift in real-time to reflect what engages us most.
“Beyond that, AI is making major contributions in areas like drug development, material sciences, and solving long-standing complex problems.
“On a more practical level, business operations will evolve as AI agents take over repetitive yet increasingly complex tasks, transforming how companies run and how people work.”
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Q4: You often speak about the human side of technology. What do you hope audiences understand about AI after hearing you speak?
Andreas Welsch: “First of all, AI is a people topic – it’s not just a technology topic. Technology is the enabler, but people are at the centre of everything. We need to provide humans with 21st-century tools like AI to help them do their best work.
“There’s much more to it than technology alone – it’s about transforming how people work and how organisations function.”
This exclusive interview with Andreas Welsch was conducted by Mark Matthews of The Motivational Speakers Agency.
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