A guide to AI : understanding the technology, applying it successfully, and shaping a positive future

If artificial intelligence were a road, what would the signs look like? ’No Speed Limit’ / ’Caution, Danger Ahead’ / ’Toll Station Ahead’ / ’Start of Multi-Lane Construction’? Such narratives are indeed told about AI, sometimes contradicting each other. Which ones you trust is crucial for the future - in business, society, and private life. Therefore, we take an analytical look at the state of this road and clear up the forest of signs. We first explore the scientific, philosophical, business, and societal levels of the metaphor ’artificial intelligence’ to get closer to its core. We examine the underlying technology and look at primary fields of application and frequently mentioned risks. From this, we derive concrete options for dealing with and implementing AI, and provide an outlook on our future.