AI in practical testing
Since November 2025, the AI Ambassador Program has been expanding the use of artificial intelligence in day-to-day work. Employees develop their own use cases, put their ideas into practice, and share their knowledge throughout the organization as change agents.
27 August 2026 – Artificial intelligence can review presentations, summarize meetings, or process information more quickly. Which applications actually add value becomes clear in everyday work. This is exactly where Eberspächer’s AI Ambassador Program comes in.
Since the end of 2025, Eberspächer has been training employees at regular intervals in small groups to become so-called AI Ambassadors. They develop AI solutions for their own departments, streamline repetitive tasks, and then share the knowledge they’ve gained throughout the organization. The program began in Esslingen and is being rolled out gradually at international locations.
FROM IDEA TO APPLICATION
At the start, the aspiring AI Ambassadors bring a specific challenge from their work environment. No prior knowledge is required. What’s needed is curiosity, motivation, and a willingness to try out new approaches.
The four-week program combines theoretical foundations with practical experience. In the first week, participants focus on prompt engineering, building small bots, and evaluating business cases. They then deepen their understanding through sprints with tasks that change daily.
”The key is not to view artificial intelligence in the abstract, but to use it to solve specific problems. Our employees know the processes in their departments best – this leads to solutions that create real added value in daily business,” explains Florian Dürr, VP of AI & Digital Transformation at Eberspächer, who is involved in designing the program.
PRACTICAL TEST AT THE HACKATHON
The highlight is the hackathon. Together with internal trainers, participants apply their knowledge to their own use cases, test various solutions, and develop initial prototypes. This is followed by the bot’s pilot phase and its rollout within the department.
Collaboration across departmental and divisional boundaries also plays an important role. Once the training is complete, the AI Ambassadors serve as points of contact for their colleagues worldwide, helping them identify suitable use cases and find solutions.
This approach demonstrates that projects don’t always have to be large-scale. Even targeted improvements can significantly streamline processes. For example, the first bots automate material orders and documentation or, as digital assistants, handle recurring tasks.