VTU Group is currently rolling out a company-wide AI solution for document and process management. Based on technology from Leftshift One, 1,100 employees in seven countries are gaining AI-supported access to quality-relevant documents and operating procedures (OPs) – directly integrated into their digital work environments.
When the technology group VTU, headquartered in Grambach, Styria, plans and builds highly complex industrial plants, seamless documentation and precise workflows are essential. Every step of the process is subject to strict regulatory requirements – deviations from clearly defined standard procedures are not an option. After all, product and service approvals for international clients such as global biotech, pharma, and chemical companies like Novartis, Evonik, or Boehringer Ingelheim depend on them.
"We operate in a strictly regulated environment with clearly defined rules. The resulting high demands on our workflows are defined in specific procedural instructions – the 'Operating Procedures' (OPs), which are often documents up to a hundred pages long," explains Karin Kaltseis, Director of Quality Management at VTU.
Structured Chat Application
In this context, the company’s latest step is all the more remarkable: At 32 locations, the Styrian specialist in process plant engineering has rolled out a company-wide AI solution for interacting with corporate standards. Based on this technology, 1,100 employees across seven countries now have AI-supported access to quality-related documents (policies, manuals, instructions, and OPs) – seamlessly integrated into their digital work environments.
"This solution significantly simplifies access to these essential resources: Instead of navigating extensive rulebooks, our employees can interact directly with the AI and quickly retrieve the information they need. What used to require time-consuming manual searches now happens via a structured chat interface. This not only relieves the daily workload but also enhances the quality and safety of our operations," emphasizes Andreas Schumacher, Director of Digitalization and Corporate Strategy.
Leftshift One as Project Partner
Styrian AI pioneer Leftshift One is responsible for the technological implementation:
"Employees can now get answers to operational questions – such as travel policies, equipment orders, or safety protocols at construction sites – with all internal procedures fully mapped. The AI also takes into account the specific requirements of individual business units and locations," explains Patrick Ratheiser, co-founder and CEO of Leftshift One.
A central challenge: While general AI models like ChatGPT are still prone to hallucinations, answers in the VTU environment must be highly accurate. A specially formed task force rigorously tested the AI across multiple phases, conducted structured queries, and validated the responses against real-world use cases. Over the course of the roughly ten-month project – from planning to rollout – the model was brought to a level that "ultimately meets VTU’s strict regulatory requirements," says Ratheiser.
Nevertheless, human oversight remains "indispensable," he stresses: "AI is not a replacement, but an intelligent enhancement of existing processes."
"Not a Magical Oracle"
The new solution is “generally well received” by employees, according to VTU’s head of digitalization. However, he notes that it naturally takes time “to convince everyone and make the benefits visible.”
Ratheiser agrees: “While a certain margin of error is tolerated in human decisions, many expect artificial intelligence to deliver absolute perfection. But AI is not a magical oracle – it is a tool that must be precisely trained to meet specific requirements.”
VTU and Leftshift One are committed to this task in the coming weeks. "We’ll also evaluate which other business processes could benefit from AI-powered solutions," Schumacher adds.