AI EXPERTISE SINCE 2015. FIELD-TESTED AI CANVAS. FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION.
AI Use Case Consulting for SMEs
You know artificial intelligence will transform your company, but you do not want to build a graveyard of pilots. With our use case consulting, you identify the AI applications that create the greatest value and strengthen your competitiveness. From the first idea to business evaluation and productive implementation. With a clear methodological focus and integration into your existing data and cloud landscape.
Three benefits at a glance.
Increase efficiency
Automate recurring tasks and shorten cycle times.
We identify AI use cases that replace manual work and measurably increase process speed. The focus is on applications with a clear ROI within the first year.
Optimize business processes
Data-driven decisions instead of gut feeling
We turn your existing data into actionable insights. Use cases are evaluated using standardized criteria for business value, data availability, and implementation effort.
Leverage competitive advantage
Adopt AI early and correctly before competitors do.
We help you identify and implement the most relevant use cases for your industry first. Platform-agnostic and integrated into your existing cloud environment.
What is AI use case consulting?
AI use case consulting helps companies apply artificial intelligence in a targeted way. It includes identifying suitable use cases, evaluating business and technical feasibility, selecting fitting models and platforms, and supporting implementation. Good use case consulting prevents pilot graveyards and ensures AI investments deliver measurable business value.
Difference from AI implementation. AI use case consulting is the strategic and conceptual preparation. AI implementation is the technical execution with data pipelines, model training, or LLM integration. SHE covers both phases.
Difference from traditional IT consulting. Use case consulting requires specific expertise in models, data architectures, bias risks, and EU AI Act compliance. Traditional IT consulting rarely covers this depth.
The SHE use case method in detail
We work with our field-tested AI Canvas in four phases. Each phase delivers a clear outcome and a decision basis for the next one. This turns an initial AI idea into a production solution with measurable business value.
Phase 1: Use case identification
Duration: 2 to 4 weeks
What happens: We conduct structured interviews with management, business teams, and IT. In parallel, we assess existing data assets and identify areas with high automation or insight potential. We use an industry-specific use case catalog that we continuously refine from real projects.
Your deliverable: Use case inventory with ten to twenty-five candidates, each including business problem, required data, complexity indicator, and initial value hypotheses.
Phase 2: Use case evaluation
Duration: 2 to 3 weeks
What happens: We evaluate each candidate using a standardized framework: business value, data availability, technical complexity, regulatory risks (EU AI Act, GDPR), implementation effort, and time-to-value. This results in a prioritization matrix and a recommendation for pilot candidates.
Your deliverable: Use case evaluation report with scoring per candidate, prioritization matrix, recommendation of the top three for piloting, and a twelve-month roadmap.
Phase 3: Pilot and proof of value
Duration: 6 to 12 weeks per pilot
What happens: For prioritized use cases, we build a proof of value. This includes technical architecture (cloud, on-prem, or hybrid), model selection (LLM, classic ML, RAG architecture), data integration, and an initial working prototype. We measure business value against predefined KPIs.
Your deliverable: Working pilot, architecture documentation, measurement of business KPIs, and recommendation for scale-up or stop decision.
Phase 4: Scale-up and production operation
Duration: 3 to 9 months
What happens: We move successful pilots into production. This includes architecture hardening, integration into existing systems, end-user training, establishing an AI operations model (MLOps), monitoring model quality and drift, and compliance documentation.
Continuous improvement options: Quarterly model reviews, expansion to additional use cases, setup of an internal AI center of excellence, and support for EU AI Act compliance.
Why SHE for AI consulting
AI expertise since 2015
Since 2015, we have delivered production AI solutions for mid-sized industrial, retail, and service companies. This experience shapes our consulting approach and our AI Canvas. You benefit from a methodology proven in real projects.
Full tool range, platform-agnostic
Microsoft Azure AI, OpenAI, Google Vertex AI, Anthropic Claude, and open-source models like Llama. We recommend the platform that fits your stack, not our vendor quota.
German team in Ludwigshafen.
250 employees in Ludwigshafen and Cluj. AI consultants who think in German, document in German, and facilitate workshops on site. They understand the reality of German mid-sized companies.
Popular use cases
Automating customer support with chatbots
We build LLM-based chatbots that handle first contact, routine inquiries, and knowledge search. Integrated into existing CRM and ticketing systems. GDPR-compliant and aligned with the EU AI Act.
Predicting market trends through data analytics
We use machine learning models for trend and demand forecasting. The basis is your own historical data combined with external market data. The result is reliable forecasts for sales and planning.
Optimizing supply chains through AI-driven logistics
We develop AI models for route optimization, inventory planning, and supplier risk management. The result is shorter lead times, lower inventory costs, and greater supply reliability.
Use cases by industry
We base our use case recommendations on industry-specific experience.
Industry and manufacturing. Predictive maintenance on production systems, automated quality control via computer vision, optimization of energy consumption and machine utilization, intelligent maintenance planning.
Retail and sales. Demand forecasting for assortments and locations, dynamic pricing optimization, customer segmentation, automatic product descriptions, sales coaching with LLM analysis of customer conversations.
Financial services and insurance. Claims classification, fraud detection, automated document processing, regulatory reporting, intelligent customer communication under MaRisk and DORA requirements.
Healthcare and pharma. Structuring medical texts, study data processing, compliance documentation, knowledge search in research and development.
IT and software. Code generation and code reviews, intelligent test automation, self-service knowledge platforms, auto-classification of service tickets.
Ready for the next step?
Book a free, non-binding initial consultation with our AI lead in Ludwigshafen. We listen first and then recommend the use cases that fit your data landscape and business questions.
Contact Person
Let’s talk about your project.
Book a free initial consultation with our team at
+49 621 5200-0.
FAQ
What is AI use case consulting?
AI use case consulting helps companies apply artificial intelligence in a targeted way. It includes identifying suitable use cases, evaluating business and technical feasibility, selecting fitting models and platforms, and supporting implementation.
What is an AI use case?
An AI use case is a specific application in which artificial intelligence creates measurable business value. A good use case answers three questions: Which business problem is solved? What data is required? What measurable benefit is created?
How do you identify relevant AI use cases?
We combine structured interviews with management and business teams with an analysis of existing data assets. From these inputs, we build a use-case inventory with ten to twenty-five candidates, which we then evaluate by business value, data availability, and complexity.
How much does AI use case consulting cost?
The effort depends on the number of use cases, data complexity, and implementation depth. The initial consultation is free. After that, we provide an individual proposal with transparent effort estimates per phase.
Which AI platforms do you recommend?
We are platform-agnostic. We work with Microsoft Azure AI, OpenAI, Google Vertex AI, Anthropic Claude, and open-source models such as Llama. The recommendation depends on your cloud stack, data protection requirements, and the specific use case.
Which AI use cases are common in SMEs?
Common SME use cases include document processing, knowledge search, customer service automation, predictive maintenance, demand forecasting, code generation, and quality inspection. Which ones matter most depends on your industry, data situation, and business problem.
How long does an AI pilot take?
A proof of value typically takes six to twelve weeks. Before that, use-case identification takes two to four weeks and evaluation takes two to three weeks. Including preparation, a pilot therefore takes about ten to nineteen weeks.
What is the difference between AI consulting and AI implementation?
AI use case consulting is the strategic and conceptual preparation, i.e. use-case identification, evaluation, and architecture recommendations. AI implementation covers the technical execution, such as data pipelines, model training, or LLM integration. SHE covers both phases.
What does the EU AI Act mean for our AI projects?
The EU AI Act enters into force in stages and classifies AI systems by risk category. High-risk systems (for example in HR, education, or critical infrastructure) are subject to strict documentation and audit obligations. We assess your use cases by risk category and define suitable compliance measures.
