When AI tells a story – does it remain human? Or perhaps, does it become even more so?
Questions like these opened the award ceremony of the AI Communication Award at the historic Fassfabrik venue in Schwäbisch Hall. For the second time, Ziehl-Abegg presented this award to projects that show how Artificial Intelligence doesn’t replace communication – it enhances it. In total, 38 projects from various European countries were submitted.
“The finalists show how AI redefines communication – not for its own sake, but in service of humanity,” emphasised Joachim Ley, CEO of Ziehl-Abegg, in his opening speech. “Those who want to remain competitive globally must actively shape technology – not just consume it. That’s exactly what this award stands for.”
The event also received support from regional policymakers. Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg, commented: “Artificial Intelligence as a key technology is rapidly permeating all sectors. We must recognise the risks – but above all, we must embrace the opportunities and tap into its full potential. That’s why it’s essential to engage actively with the applications of AI. Those who remain passive observers will be left behind. Even creative fields like marketing and communication can harness AI meaningfully. That’s where the AI Communication Award by Ziehl-Abegg comes in: Just like with all future technologies, pioneers and inspiring examples are needed to give others the courage to act. Ziehl-Abegg and this year’s winning projects have once again succeeded in doing just that. I congratulate all the award winners and thank Ziehl-Abegg for this visionary initiative!”
Joachim Ley added: “We believe that excellent communication emerges at the intersection of human and machine. That’s where we aim to create momentum – as technology leaders and as hosts.” Jury chair Johannes Keller, founder of the AI platform Flowzar, summed it up succinctly: “AI can do more than generate text – it can tell stories that resonate. It opens new doors for interaction, ethics, and experience.” The thematic breadth of the submitted entries impressively demonstrated how versatile and responsible the use of AI in communication has already become.
The 2025 Award Winners at a Glance
The jury – composed of leading experts from academia, business, media and AI associations – assessed submissions from across Europe. Four projects were recognised in four distinct categories:
Category: Creative/Interactive Application
University Hospital Tübingen – “Team Transplant on a Life-Saving Mission”
A powerful AI-generated video tells the real-life story of an infant’s organ transplant – with emotional intensity and ethical depth. “This wasn’t possible with traditional video – that’s why we used AI to create closeness where cameras couldn’t go,” said project lead Bianca Hermle.
Category: Marketing/Communication Strategy
ZF Friedrichshafen AG – “AI Agents in Communication”
An ecosystem of four AI agents (CEO, spokesperson, analyst, journalist) supports corporate communications – strategically, efficiently and with a human-centred approach.
Category: AI Products and Platform Solutions
coeo Group GmbH – “cAI – The Modular AI Ecosystem in Receivables Management”
Ten AI modules, developed in-house, transform communication with customers and partners. A flagship project for internal innovation and scalable AI applications.
Special Award for Students (endowed with €2,000)
Marco Florian Aigner (University of Heidelberg & Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences)
“Automated Screening of Scientific Articles”
For the first time, machine learning and large language models are systematically compared in the context of medical literature screening – a milestone for scientific efficiency.
CEO Ley’s Conclusion: “Whether in hospitals, corporations, receivables services or universities – the four winning projects of the AI Communication Award 2025 show that AI becomes most effective when people give it direction and purpose.” Or, as Johannes Keller put it: “AI needs context, courage – and people willing to explore new paths. These award winners embody exactly that.”
A Jury with Vision
The award is presented by an independent jury of leading minds in AI, marketing and digital innovation:
Johannes Keller, Jury Chair and Applied AI Pioneer, Flowzar
Prof. Dr. Seon-Su Kim, DHBW
Prof. Dr. Daniel Werth, Ferdinand Steinbeis Institute
Prof. Dr. Markus Graf, Heilbronn University
Prof. Dr. Helmut Krcmar, Technical University of Munich
Prof. Dr. Joachim Buhmann, ETH Zurich
Stefanie Baade, German AI Association
Prof. Dr. Markus Besenbeck, Marketing Club Mainfranken
Dr. Christina Blumentritt, Marketing Club Nuremberg
Corinne Nauber, Marketing Club Stuttgart-Heilbronn
Rolf Hermann, OMR Education
Stefanie Kromer, Messe Stuttgart
Gregor Vischer, F.A.Z. Institute
About Ziehl-Abegg
Ziehl-Abegg (Künzelsau, Germany) is one of the leading global companies in the field of ventilation, control and drive technology. In the 1950s, Ziehl-Abegg established the basis for modern fan drives: external rotor motors which even today are still seen as state-of-the-art worldwide. Another area of business is electric motors which provide the power, for example, for elevators or medical applications (computer tomography equipment).
The high-tech company has an impressive innovative capability (all figures and statements refer to the year 2024). Ziehl-Abegg employs 2,800 personnel in its production plants in southern Germany. The company has a global workforce of 5,300 spread between 17 production plants, 30 companies and 114 sales locations. The products, approx. 30,000 in all, are sold in more than 100 countries. Turnover totals 893 million euros.
Emil Ziehl founded the company in Berlin in 1910 as a manufacturer of electric motors. After World War II the company’s headquarters were relocated to southern Germany. Ziehl-Abegg SE is not a listed company but instead is family-owned.
For more information go to https://www.ziehl-abegg.com/en/
