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In her keynote presentation at ZAPI GROUP's 2025 Future of Electrification conference, Swedish thought leader, Paulina Modlitba, offered a refreshingly balanced perspective on artificial intelligence. Rather than dwelling on dystopian fears or utopian promises, Modlitba focused on the practical middle ground where AI creates tangible value. Watch the full session here:
Converging Revolutions
Paulina explained that we're currently experiencing two major technological revolutions: applied AI and electrification. According to McKinsey's 2024 report, both fields show tremendous promise. Despite economic uncertainties, hiring trends between 2021-2023 reveal a growing demand for expertise at this intersection where transportation and broader society are being reshaped.
Applied AI and generative AI have reached the scaling stage of technological maturity, ready for widespread adoption. Modlitba explained that AI development typically follows a predictable hype cycle: an innovation trigger, inflated expectations, disillusionment, and eventually a plateau of productivity. History shows "AI winters" where enthusiasm and investment waned; today's challenge may be insufficient data for further advancement, spurring research into new approaches.
The Expanding AI Landscape
The rise of multimodal AI, which processes various data types, means "all data is the new oil" for big tech companies. Beyond software, embodied AI (robots and self-driving vehicles) represents another exciting frontier. For example, while China actively integrates embodied AI into electric vehicle and green energy sectors, Western automotive suppliers may be adopting these technologies more cautiously.
Modlitba pointed out that organizations face several barriers to effective AI implementation: lack of expertise, organizational silos hindering data sharing, and difficulty scaling beyond pilot projects. She emphasized that successful AI adoption is fundamentally a human, cultural, and organizational journey requiring strong leadership, resistance management, and improved AI literacy.
Strategic Approach to AI
For maximum impact, organizations should focus on the intersection of AI capabilities and business value, forming interdisciplinary teams that combine AI expertise with domain knowledge. High-performing companies use AI to create new revenue streams and improve products rather than simply reducing costs.
The "virtuous cycle of AI" shows how AI-driven improvements attract users, generating more data for further enhancements and business scaling. Long-term competitive advantage comes from unique and effective data use rather than specific AI tools.
Leadership in the AI Era
It’s clear that leadership roles are evolving as AI reshapes our work. Modlitba envisions "assisted work" where AI empowers "creative generalists." Research shows human and AI outputs are complementary, emphasizing the value of collaboration.
Effective leadership built on trust, psychological safety, and skills development is crucial for AI readiness. Organizations that involve people in decisions, celebrate experimentation, and offer training are better positioned for success.
Practical Applications
Modlitba highlighted several concrete applications:
- AI-driven product design and 3D printing
- Optimization of battery technology and energy systems
- AI-powered quality inspections
- Material discovery, as exemplified by AI's role in protein folding
Key Takeaways
AI and electrification are transformative forces whose integration will define industry leaders. Despite challenges, innovation, collaboration, and bold leadership are essential and organizations should start small, think big, and act now, identifying high-impact projects to begin their AI journey.
The most successful approach combines strong technical capabilities with human-centered leadership that creates psychological safety, encourages experimentation, and builds the skills needed to thrive in this new landscape.