When I was very young, my family often played the card game Skat. This game requires adding up card values, calculating game values, and memorizing game history. The appreciation of these skills provided me with an early motivation that eventually led me to study mathematics, which I did at the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena (2010-2016). These studies now serve as a strong background for all my ongoing work.
During my studies, I became increasingly fascinated by machine learning and AI. This is why I went on to do a PhD in machine learning, working with Joachim Giesen. I owe him a lot of my early development as an AI professional. During my PhD, I was also part of the machine-learning group at the DLR Institute of Data-Science.
In 2022, I took a job in the industry at Jenoptik, where I am now helping to build a new central AI team. While we have done some natural-language processing applications, our main focus is on industrial AI: I have applied AI techniques for predictive maintenance of machines, and we are working a lot on automating inspection tasks. As a team, we support and drive the AI transition in our company.
For me, AI is not just work: It is a passion. Beyond my primary work to implement responsible AI at Jenoptik, I maintain my curiosity and interest in AI research – especially given the success of foundational AI models.
Finally and besides, I perform magic. It’s a curious coincident that AI is often considered magic. So there is a confluence in the things I do: AI is like magic, except it is real.