Dr.-Ing. Inga-Lena Darkow
Executive and expert in the application of artificial intelligence in industry, supply chains, and transformation | BASF
Dr.-Ing. Inga-Lena Darkow is an executive leader and expert in the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across industry and global supply chains. For more than a decade, she has led international teams and driven the development and implementation of data- and AI-driven solutions for planning, supply chain management, and related business functions. Her work focuses on successfully integrating technology, business processes, and organizational transformation.
With a background in industrial engineering, Dr.-Ing. Darkow combines extensive experience from industry, academia, and international collaboration. Following research and teaching positions at German and international universities in innovation and supply chain management, she transitioned into industry, where she has been shaping the adoption of AI across global value networks. Her areas of expertise include scalable AI platforms, Digital Twins, Generative AI, Explainable AI, and Responsible AI. Throughout her career, she has worked in Ludwigshafen, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, contributing to global AI initiatives.
Beyond her professional role, Dr.-Ing. Darkow is committed to advancing the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence as a societal priority. She leads the AI Taskforce of a European volunteer organization, building AI capabilities across civil society through a network of AI Ambassadors. She also chairs the AI Working Group of the German Logistics Association (BVL), fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and practitioners on emerging AI developments in supply chain management and logistics.
Dr.-Ing. Darkow is a frequent speaker on AI-driven business transformation, the development of data-driven organizations, and the impact of AI on leadership, the future of work, and society. She is particularly passionate about ensuring that technological innovation is not only efficient and economically valuable, but also responsible, transparent, and human-centered.
Main Stage
Calibrated Trust: Who Controls the Agent-Based Supply Chain—Humans or Machines?
The supply chain of tomorrow needs people who can do more than just press buttons. AI makes suggestions, robots take action—people must design, evaluate, and take responsibility. The problem: true judgment comes from real-world experience, which the younger generation no longer gains in the same way as previous generations. This poses a dilemma for training, recruiting, continuing education, and process design.
What it’s all about:
• Which core competencies really matter?
• How must training and continuing education be reimagined?
• How can companies create processes so that people don’t trust blindly—but also don’t reflexively question everything?
Goal: Calibrated Trust—leadership that instills the right level of trust in AI so that decisions remain accountable.
Prof. Dr. Julia Arlinghaus from the University of St. Gallen and Dr. Inga-Lena Darkow, drawing on their industry experience, will present several proposals on this topic and engage in a discussion with the audience.