S4AI HUB at the Kopaonik Business Forum: Industrial Transformation Starts with Small Steps

At the 33rd Kopaonik Business Forum, the most significant economic event in Serbia and the region, a panel titled “Transforming Industry for the Intelligent Age” was held. The panel was organized in partnership with the Kopaonik Business Forum, the Serbian Association of Economists, and the Science and Technology Park Niš, and focused on how artificial intelligence, data, and automation are transforming industry and how companies can adapt to the new technological era.

Ivan Pavlović, Project Manager of S4AI – the European Digital Innovation Hub, participated as one of the panel speakers. He reflected on experiences working with companies in Serbia and the region, with a particular focus on micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.

During the discussion, it was emphasized that industrial transformation with the help of artificial intelligence most often does not occur through large and complex technological projects, but rather through smaller pilot initiatives that address specific business challenges. Such approaches allow companies to test new technologies, assess their impact, and gradually introduce AI solutions into their processes.

From the perspective of the S4AI HUB, Pavlović pointed out the real state of AI adoption in companies, emphasizing that one of the biggest challenges in implementing AI solutions is the readiness of internal systems and data within organizations. In many cases, data is not sufficiently structured, and digital tools are fragmented, which makes the broader implementation of new technologies more difficult.

The panel was moderated by Prof. Dr. Milan Ranđelović, Director of the Science and Technology Park Niš. In addition to Pavlović, the discussion included Stefan Badža, Co-Founder and Head of Accelerator and Global Partnerships at HUB 201; Jelena Bojović, Program Director for Public Policy at NALED and the World Economic Forum; Michaela Lafont, Program and Project Coordinator for AI Innovation and Policy Coordination at the European Commission; Todor Mladenov, Member of the Board and Executive Director of Sofia Tech Park; and Dragoslav Pavlović, Mayor of the City of Niš.

One of the key conclusions of the panel was that industrial transformation does not begin with large investments in technology, but rather with identifying concrete business problems, using existing data, and developing smaller pilot solutions that can quickly demonstrate measurable results.

Through initiatives such as the S4AI European Digital Innovation Hub, companies receive concrete support in identifying opportunities for the application of new technologies, testing innovative solutions, and developing the capacities necessary for the digital and intelligent transformation of business operations.