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Bridging the Gap Between Technology and Leadership: Key Insights from the MERIT Workshop on Artificial Intelligence

On 1 June 2026, Riga Technical University (RTU) hosted the MERIT International Industry Engagement Workshop on Artificial Intelligence, bringing together representatives from academia, industry, and the MERIT student community for an open discussion on the future of AI competencies and their role in modern organisations.

The online event formed part of the MERIT project’s ongoing efforts to strengthen advanced digital skills and ensure that higher education remains aligned with the rapidly evolving needs of industry. Participants explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping professional roles, organisational structures, and expectations for future graduates.

From Digital Transformation to the AI Era

The workshop opened with a keynote reflection by Dr. Jānis Grēviņš, Digitalization and AI Innovation Policy Expert and Research Development Lead at Latvijas Mobilais Telefons (LMT). Looking back at the origins of the MERIT programme, he highlighted how the initial objective remains highly relevant today: bridging the gap between technical expertise and managerial decision-making. While AI technologies have advanced dramatically since the programme was first conceived, the challenge of connecting technical specialists with business leaders continues to be a critical success factor for organisations. Dr. Grēviņš noted: “The core challenge remains the same: how do we merge technical capabilities with management strategies so that organisations can truly benefit from digital transformation? Today, AI is changing the tools we use, but the need to bridge technology and leadership has become even more important.”

Dr. Grēviņš emphasised that artificial intelligence should not be viewed solely through the lens of generative AI and large language models. Across industries, AI is increasingly embedded in machine-to-machine communication, telecommunications networks, production systems, logistics, and enterprise resource management. The ability to understand and strategically implement these technologies has become essential for modern leaders.

Are Current AI Skills Still Relevant?

A central theme of the workshop focused on whether current AI competencies remain relevant in a rapidly changing technological landscape. Participants agreed that while technical knowledge remains important, organisations are increasingly seeking professionals who can combine technological understanding with adaptability, communication, and critical thinking.

Industry representatives noted that AI tools are enabling employees to move beyond traditional role boundaries. Marketing specialists are creating automated workflows, business professionals are developing technical solutions, and managers are becoming increasingly involved in digital implementation processes. As a result, professional identities are evolving, and interdisciplinary skills are becoming more valuable than ever.

Several speakers highlighted that the most important competency may no longer be mastering a specific AI tool, but rather maintaining the ability to continuously learn, adapt, and critically evaluate new developments as technologies evolve.

MERIT Students as Industry Experts

A distinctive feature of the workshop was the active participation of MERIT students, many of whom currently hold senior positions across a variety of sectors. Their contributions provided a valuable opportunity to assess how the programme’s AI-related competencies translate into real-world practice.

The discussion included perspectives from Mārīte Grūbe (Accenture), Nora Austriņa (ERGO), Madara Klotiņa (LIAA), Andrejs Juščenko (LMT), Juris Šeps (Proks), Andris Zābelis (Lauma A), and Maksims Bogdanovs (Dativa). Drawing on their professional experience, participants reflected on the opportunities and challenges organisations face when adopting AI technologies.

Exacaster Perspective: AI Is Changing Professional Identity

An especially thought-provoking contribution came from Egidijus Pilypas, Co-founder and Director of Product and Marketing at Exacaster. He highlighted how AI is transforming not only workflows but also professional identities. Marketing specialists can now build integrations and automate workflows, while non-technical professionals can create sophisticated digital solutions with AI assistance. He noted that organisations should focus AI investments on their core value creation processes: “The real breakthrough comes when companies rethink how they deliver value and redesign those processes with AI at the centre, rather than simply using AI to optimise individual tasks.”
 
According to Pilypas, this shift places growing importance on flexibility, adaptability, and cross-functional thinking. As AI lowers technical barriers, organisations increasingly need professionals capable of operating across disciplinary boundaries and combining technical understanding with business insight.

The Growing Importance of Soft Skills

One of the strongest messages emerging from the discussion was that AI is increasing, rather than reducing, the importance of human-centred skills.

Participants repeatedly emphasised the need for:

• Critical thinking and the ability to evaluate AI-generated outputs;
• Communication skills that allow technical and non-technical stakeholders to collaborate effectively;
• Change management capabilities to guide organisations through AI adoption;
• Strategic thinking to identify meaningful AI use cases rather than applying technology for its own sake.

Industry representatives observed that while AI can generate content, code, and analyses, organisations still require professionals who can interpret results, challenge assumptions, and communicate complex ideas effectively. In an environment increasingly supported by AI, these uniquely human competencies are becoming key differentiators.

AI Adoption Is Primarily a Change Management Challenge

Another key insight emerging from the discussion was that successful AI implementation is not purely a technological challenge. Organisations often struggle less with the technology itself and more with identifying meaningful use cases, redesigning workflows, and managing organisational change.

 
Several speakers argued that future managers must understand not only what AI can do, but also how to introduce it responsibly within organisations. This requires the ability to evaluate business processes, identify opportunities for automation, manage stakeholder expectations, and balance innovation with governance, legal requirements, and data protection considerations.

Education and Industry: Closing the Gap

Participants also reflected on how well the MERIT study programme aligns with real-world industry needs. Graduates and current students praised the programme for providing a strong theoretical foundation in AI, digitalisation, data management, business analytics, and decision-making. Many noted that the programme helped them move beyond popular narratives surrounding AI and develop a deeper understanding of how these technologies function and where their limitations lie.

At the same time, several participants suggested that future iterations of AI-related education should place even greater emphasis on hands-on applications and practical implementation scenarios. Understanding the technology is important, but equally important is learning how to identify business opportunities, manage AI-driven change initiatives, and successfully integrate AI into organisational processes.

Another topic that attracted considerable attention was the growing importance of legal and ethical considerations. Representatives from industry highlighted that data protection requirements, regulatory compliance, and governance concerns often influence AI adoption decisions as much as technical capabilities. Developing awareness of these frameworks is becoming increasingly important for future professionals working with AI solutions.

Key Takeaways

• The need to bridge technology and management remains as relevant as ever. While AI technologies have evolved rapidly, organisations still require professionals capable of translating technical possibilities into strategic business value.
• AI is transforming professional roles and organisational structures. As AI tools lower technical barriers, employees increasingly operate across traditional disciplinary boundaries, making adaptability and continuous learning essential competencies.
• Soft skills are becoming more important, not less. Critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and leadership remain indispensable in environments increasingly supported by AI.
• AI adoption is primarily a change management challenge. Successful implementation depends not only on technology, but also on organisational readiness, process redesign, governance, and stakeholder engagement.
• AI literacy must extend beyond technical understanding. Future professionals need to understand legal, ethical, and data protection considerations alongside technological capabilities.
• Hands-on experience is increasingly important. Industry representatives highlighted the need for practical implementation skills that help professionals identify meaningful AI use cases and integrate AI into organisational processes.
• The MERIT programme provides a strong interdisciplinary foundation. By combining engineering, digital technologies, management, and innovation, MERIT helps prepare professionals for leadership roles in AI-enabled organisations.
• Collaboration between academia and industry is essential. Ongoing dialogue with industry stakeholders helps ensure that educational programmes remain aligned with rapidly evolving technological and labour market needs.

Conclusion

As the discussion concluded, participants agreed that artificial intelligence is not simply a technological challenge—it is an organisational and leadership challenge. The future will require professionals who can navigate both technical complexity and human factors, connecting innovation with strategic decision-making.

The workshop reinforced the core mission of the MERIT programme: preparing graduates capable of operating at the intersection of engineering, technology, innovation, and management. As AI continues to transform industries, educational initiatives that bring together academia, students, and industry stakeholders will play an increasingly important role in ensuring that future professionals are ready to lead this transformation.

The MERIT Industry Engagement Workshop demonstrated that while AI technologies will continue to evolve, the need for collaboration, critical thinking, adaptability, and effective communication remains constant. These are the competencies that will ultimately determine how successfully organisations can harness the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence.

Looking Ahead

By fostering close cooperation between academia and industry, MERIT contributes to the development of future leaders who can successfully operate at the intersection of engineering, innovation, technology, and strategic decision-making.

Following the AI workshop, the MERIT International Industry Engagement Workshop series will conclude with its final session, focused on the Internet of Things (IoT), which will take place in a hybrid format on 16 June 2026 (learn more and register here).