What Will AI Bring in 2026? Where the AI Market Stands and How It Is Changing the German Tech Industry – with Zamina Ahmad (AI/ML Expert and CEO @ shades&contrast, ex Otto, ex ImmoScout24, ex Siemens)

AI Forecasts and Strategies Between Hype and Real Value Creation

Artificial intelligence is everywhere – but where does it really lead to measurable success? In the fifteenth episode of the PRODUKTKRAFT Podcast, I talk to Zamina Ahmad about the crucial question for 2026: how do companies need to deal with AI today to stay competitive tomorrow? The multi-award-winning AI & ML product leader brings more than 15 years of experience in data, machine learning, and product development and has successfully delivered AI projects for companies including Bosch and Siemens Energy. As founder and CEO of shades&contrast, founder of ZAQ Research, and part of the product leadership at YOUNA, she combines technical excellence with a clear focus on fair, non-discriminatory AI.

Zamina speaks openly about the harsh reality of AI transformation: 95% of all AI initiatives fail – so what are the successful 5% doing differently? She analyzes the typical mistakes in corporate structures that prevent innovation. Instead of blind “AI-washing,” the focus is on concrete answers: which processes can really be automated? Where do real competitive advantages emerge? And when should you keep your hands off AI?

The discussion gets particularly interesting around AI-native startups and how to approach greenfield projects. Zamina shares insights from her practice, in which she enables startup teams to break new ground in the GenAI era. But we also raise uncomfortable questions: what does “jobless growth” mean for a society, and where do the profits really end up?

From the hands-on product role to the leadership level, from organizational challenges to societal impact – this episode offers a 360-degree view of AI in product management. As G100 Country Chair Germany for AI, Data & Cybersecurity and a Digital Female Leader 2023, Zamina brings not only technical expertise but also a clear vision: AI must be efficient, safe, and fair.

In the end, one central question remains: what does a desirable perspective on AI look like – for companies, for product managers, and for our society? This episode doesn’t just deliver answers; it invites you to rethink. Essential listening for anyone who wants not only to use AI but to understand it.