This article analyzes the current status and prospects of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Austrian companies. Based on an online survey with 108 participating companies conducted between September 2024 and March 2025, it examines the degree of implementation, strategic anchoring, perceived potential, and key challenges in different industries and company sizes.
Companies influence – directly or indirectly – the lives of their employees, workers in the value chain, their customers and local communities. In this context, social sustainability encompasses the systematic identification, management and targeted promotion of these effects. The aim is to maintain stable, fair and healthy social systems within and outside the company and to strengthen their resilience in the long term.
Foundation models are AI models that have been trained on extensive and diverse data sets, making them so versatile that they can be used in many different areas – including to improve efficiency, sustainability and collaboration in production and logistics. This white paper summarises how foundation models can be adapted to specific requirements, the areas of application in production and logistics, the prerequisites for their use, and practical recommendations.
The concept of shared logistics describes the synergetic and effective use of all elements of logistics value chains to increase collaboration, transparency, resilience and competitiveness 1, 2. Fraunhofer Austria further develops state-of-the-art shared logistics approaches by combining and optimizing the domains of logistics, transport and mobility. Logistics deals with effi cient fl ows of goods and optimized processes in and between warehouses. Transportation involves the physical movement of goods. Mobility extends physical transportation to people and their professional and private mobility needs.
Positive Impact Production contributes significantly to a transformation of production towards an organic process in harmony with nature. The results of production meet human needs better than before, but do not cause a negative footprint - no net CO2 and pollutant emissions, no consumption of finite resources, no disruption of biodiversity and water availability - and also create a positive impact for society and people working in production; all in harmony with a free economic and social organisation.
