# Partner Spotlight: Valantic

#### We offer our customers a broad network of skilled local and global partners across a wide range of leading industries. In our “Partner Spotlight” series, some of our most dedicated partners will kindly be sharing their thoughts on Conversational AI.

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##### Please tell us briefly about your professional background and your current role? How long have you been working at your company?

I have been involved in the areas of data warehousing, business intelligence, and artificial intelligence at valantic for five years. Before that, I held a student job at IBM, where I worked intensively on the Watson portfolio (AI). I currently serve as a contact and team leader for the data science and conversational AI sectors.

##### What is special about your company?

The most important element in a digital world is the people. At valantic, it is very important to us to have a good working relationship with our colleagues and business partners. Direct communication and fairness are key characteristics of our behavior.

##### How is your company related to Conversational AI?

For us, conversational AI is a suitable building block for advancing our customers’ digital transformation. There are a variety of points of contact with the most diverse specialist areas.

##### What is special about Cognigy and Cognigy.AI? What sets Cognigy apart?

According to the latest IDC MarketScape study, Cognigy.AI is currently the [top conversational AI platform](/content/site-root.html) on the market. That's because the platform is both extremely user-friendly and powerful. The platform offers seamless integration into various back-end systems and the ability to connect it to many different communication channels, including Web, phone, social media, and mobile apps. With the Cognigy platform, a high degree of flexibility and a fast implementation can be achieved.

##### What do you think is the main reason why some companies still don’t use smart bots across the board?

I think there are several reasons for this. Firstly, there are certainly still several companies that underestimate the need for automation. Additionally, I believe that many companies often lack a concrete entry point that goes beyond a simple [FAQ chatbot](/content/blog/from-faqs-to-process-automation/index.html). That’s why it is appropriate to start with a small workshop for newcomers, one where suitable use cases are jointly identified and evaluated.

##### How do you see Conversational AI evolving in the next three years?

In line with the latest Gartner report "Hype cycle for artificial Intelligence," I would say that in 3 to 5 years we will reach the plateau of productivity, and it will be normal for many people to contact a chat or voice bot that can automatically answer various requests or even assist them right away.

##### On a personal note: Who would you like to meet for a chat and why?

I would like to meet Yuval Noah Harari. I like his consistently sober view of the world almost as much as his dry humor, which he has already demonstrated in various interviews. Furthermore, we share a passion for the "Settlers of Catan" social game, which is why a joint game would certainly be very enjoyable for both of us.

##### And last but not least: Any favorite books, podcasts, blogs, films, series that you’d like to recommend to our readers?

There's a lot out there. Here’s a small selection.

**Books:** Homo Deus (Yuval Noah Harari), A Short History of Nearly Everything (Bill Bryson)

**Podcasts:** digital compact, Steingarts Morning Briefing

**Movies:** Interstellar, Ex Machina, Matrix, Her

**Series:** Westworld, House of Cards (US)