Legacy market leaders, once dominant in their industries, are struggling to compete in the era of intelligent, AI driven, connected solutions. While companies born in the digital age seamlessly integrate hardware, software, and AI into cohesive products, traditional brands face cultural, structural, and technological barriers. They often treat hardware, software, connectivity, Machine Learning, ecosystems as separate components, attempting late-stage integration—leading to fragmented user experiences and lost market share. This challenge is evident in industries where European brands excel in traditional products but fall behind in intelligent markets like robotic vacuums, vehicles or other industrial and consumer products,. To remain competitive, legacy companies must adopt system thinking not only from engineering side, but from the business side as well, ensuring seamless integration of all elements.

This keynote explores why traditional brands struggle, how AI raises the stakes, and what is good a framework for overcoming these barriers—enabling companies to transition from outdated product development to delivering truly intelligent, end-to-end solutions.