In this episode of Lemongrass Roots, we’re joined by Nils Janus, Chief AI Officer at Covestro, to explore how one of the world’s leading materials companies turned artificial intelligence from a niche experiment into a strategic enterprise capability.
Nils shares Covestro’s AI journey - from early “science project” beginnings to becoming a catalyst for measurable business value across production, finance, and operations. He explains how the company built internal expertise, engaged senior leaders through structured AI briefings, and fostered a culture of innovation through grassroots experimentation.
You’ll hear how Covestro launched the world’s first fully autonomous chemical batch production line, reduced financial risk with AI-driven liquidity forecasting, and introduced the Covestro Virtual Assistant - a generative AI sidekick transforming how employees interact with SAP and enterprise systems.
This conversation offers practical lessons for business and technology leaders on how to:
- Build momentum for AI adoption from the ground up
- Balance innovation and governance in regulated industries
- Measure AI success through real economic impact
- Create scalable frameworks for AI agents and enterprise integration
Tune in to learn how Covestro is reimagining what’s possible when human expertise meets intelligent automation - and what it means for the future of enterprise AI.
