Developing Digital Business Skills and Knowledge in the Era of Artificial Intelligence (DigitAIli)

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed business in recent years. According to Gartner’s prediction, by 2026, over a hundred million people will have AI colleagues actively helping them enhance their work. Goldman Sachs estimates that AI could replace 25% of current jobs in the coming years. AI is expected to have a rapid impact on various sectors such as administration, education, healthcare, ICT, software industry, content production, and marketing. Companies that can harness the potential of AI may become more productive and stand out from competitors, achieving better results. While AI is not expected to replace humans in the near future, individuals and businesses utilizing AI are likely to outperform those not leveraging it in the market.

Simultaneously, digital business, especially e-commerce, has experienced explosive growth, changing the way people make purchases. There are still many untapped growth opportunities in Northern Ostrobothnia. However, businesses lack critical expertise in integrating AI and digital business, which could enable their growth and competitiveness. With AI tools, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can improve productivity, optimize processes, provide better customer service, and discover entirely new products and business opportunities. By realizing these benefits, companies can increase revenue and create new jobs, contributing to the region’s economic growth and enhancing its competitiveness. There is a clear need in Northern Ostrobothnia for accessible training on the possibilities and best practices of AI utilization to support the development of digital business in micro and small businesses.

The central objective of the project is to enhance and develop the knowledge and skills of individuals already working in the field in the era of AI. This is driven by the need to improve digital business, especially e-commerce expertise, in the rapidly changing situation caused by AI. Additionally, the project aims to develop the digital business and e-commerce capabilities, as well as the competitiveness, of the personnel in micro and SMEs in Northern Ostrobothnia. The project also seeks to influence the content and quality of education in the region’s institutions by training teachers to use AI applications in business education, ensuring that students entering the workforce have adequate AI skills.

The project aims to achieve its objectives through the following measures:

Work Package 1: Enhancing competitiveness with digital business and AI skills – Planning the training and producing necessary study materials. The training program consists of five independent study modules, each lasting six weeks (5 ECTS). The total duration of the training is approximately 10 months (30 ECTS). The training combines up-to-date theoretical education conducted online with practical tool and method workshops conducted in classroom settings. The goal is to provide in-depth practical knowledge of key areas of digital business, especially e-commerce, in the era of AI. The target is to train at least 100 individuals. The 30 ECTS program is planned to be implemented twice in 2024 and 2025. In spring 2026, two 5 ECTS modules on AI-assisted marketing and business will be implemented based on previous experiences and the latest information acquired in the project.

Work Package 2: Quick briefings and webinars on current themes in digital business and marketing in the era of AI. The project will organize at least 15 events in collaboration with BusinessOulu. The events are aimed at complementing other training offerings, with a target audience of approximately 100 individuals.

Work Package 3: Monitoring the development of digital business, especially AI and e-commerce, testing new applications, and related industry-relevant publishing activities. The project will investigate the impact of new AI applications on the development possibilities of digital business and e-commerce systems, among other solutions. The collected information will be utilized in Work Packages 1 and 2 to ensure the relevance and currency of training content. The goal is to publish 25–30 topical blog posts on various topics related to digital business and e-commerce, along with creating an online workbook on e-business planning for SMEs in the AI era for general use on the internet.

Work Package 4: Training sessions for teachers on new technologies affecting digital business, especially AI applications and methods. The aim is to have 45 teachers from various institutions participate in the training sessions. The training sessions are expected to be organized 10–15 times.

The project integrates AI and digital business expertise and tools based on the latest information. It provides vital knowledge and skills to all stakeholders necessary for successful business in the rapidly changing competitive environment.

This project, funded through the JTF 2021–2027 program, has received financial support from the ELY Center.