Interview with Hans Schuurmans, AI Evangelist, Author, and Co-founder of AIMAZE

In this interview, AI thought leader Hans Schuurmans reveals how artificial intelligence will radically transform not only organizations but also the relationship between humans and technology. He predicts a future filled with digital colleagues and explains why organizations must respond to this revolution now in order to stay ahead of the curve.

QUESTION: Hans, the world is going digital at an incredible pace. You once said, “The interaction between people and brands is changing faster than we can keep up with.” How do you see the role of AI in this new reality? What exactly is changing in how brands position themselves in an increasingly digital world?

Hans Schuurmans: The speed at which AI is transforming our world is unprecedented. Whereas we used to talk about brand loyalty built up over decades, we now find ourselves in a real-time era. Brands must constantly reinvent what they stand for, not only through what they say, but also through how they listen. AI makes it possible to immediately understand what consumers and organizations think, feel, and expect. But be careful—that doesn’t mean AI takes over brand strategy. It remains a tool. The vision and creativity remain human. Brands that fail to recognize this will ultimately lose their soul.

“As a company, you can’t just wait for a trend to emerge—you have to be the trend.”

What we’re seeing is that AI is forcing brands to be proactive. As a company, you can no longer wait for a trend—you have to be the trend. The speed at which AI recognizes patterns and takes action creates a new dynamic that allows brands to almost see into the future. The digital world demands a constantly flexible identity. This means that brands must evolve from static constructs into dynamic ecosystems. That is not only challenging; it is necessary. And AI is the key to that.

QUESTION: You often talk about the balance between technology and humanity. Society argues that people must always come first, even as AI becomes more prevalent. Is that feasible, or are we moving toward a world where machines take over that humanity?

Hans Schuurmans: Humanity must never become a footnote in the AI narrative. In fact, I believe that the true power of AI only comes into its own when it helps us to be more human. What do I mean by that? AI can free us from repetitive, mind-numbing tasks. It gives us the space to be more creative, empathetic, and visionary. But the challenge is that we don’t see AI as a replacement for people, but as an extension of what makes us human.

“I believe that the true power of AI is only realized when it helps us to be more human.”

AI is fundamentally changing the relationship between organizations and customers. While the technology can analyze data and provide insights, it is ultimately up to organizations to decide how to use that data to create meaningful human interactions. AI should not push us further away from our customers; rather, it should bring us closer to them. The companies that understand this will be the winners of tomorrow.

QUESTION: When we talk about the future of AI, what can we expect? What major changes do you see on the horizon, and what can we simply no longer ignore?

Hans Schuurmans: At AIMAZE, we develop Digital Employees that organizations can deploy quickly and efficiently. What we’re seeing is that organizations are rapidly adopting Digital Colleagues. These colleagues can be deployed quickly and are very accessible. The future of AI goes further than we dare to dream right now. What I see is a world where AI isn’t just supportive, but a fundamental part of every business decision. But most importantly: we’re getting digital colleagues. Not just chatbots, but real digital employees who work side by side with people. Initially, they will take over simple tasks, but increasingly they will contribute to creative and strategic processes. That demands something big from us: namely, the willingness to relearn what collaboration means.

“…but real digital employees who work side by side with people.”

This is no longer a pipe dream. The reality is that organizations that don’t start thinking about integrating AI now will fall behind. Companies must evolve—not only in terms of their tools and technology, but also in their mindset. The question we need to answer is: how do we create a harmonious relationship between humans and machines in which both reinforce each other?

QUESTION: That sounds like a huge change. What advice would you give to organizations that are just starting out on this AI journey and aren’t quite sure where to begin?

Hans Schuurmans: My advice is clear: dare to start small, but think big. Many companies feel overwhelmed by AI because they think they have to do everything at once. But the power of AI lies precisely in its gradual integration. Start with an area where you can add immediate value, such as automating administrative processes or optimizing customer service. This helps you gain experience with AI.

“…that people always come first: People First.”

You might also consider hiring a Digital Assistant to help you build that experience quickly and efficiently. The most important thing, however, is to get the foundation right. Make sure people always come first: People First. AI is a powerful tool, but ultimately it is people who determine what we do with it. The organizations that embrace AI as an extension of their humanity—not as a replacement—will reap the greatest benefits. We are on the cusp of a world where technology not only supports but becomes an integral part of every company’s culture, vision, and strategy. Those who fail to adapt now will not be able to catch up later.

QUESTION: That’s fascinating, Hans. It’s clear that AI isn’t just the technology of the future, but also a powerful catalyst for how we—as individuals and businesses—need to change.

Hans Schuurmans: Absolutely. We need to learn to work with technology, rather than letting it dictate our actions. That is the future of our work, our businesses, and ultimately our society.

An investment that pays for itself in no time? It sounds too good to be true. Yet that’s exactly what we see happening time and time again with Digital Employees. Not only because they take over tasks, but mainly because they deliver more than you might think at first glance.

The hidden costs of just carrying on as usual

In many organizations, the workload is chronically too high. Tasks pile up, colleagues rush from meeting to meeting, and the call for “someone to help out” grows louder by the day. But hiring someone is a big deal. A new employee costs you around €3,000 to €4,000 per month. When you add recruitment, onboarding, and additional costs to that, you’re quickly looking at more than €50,000 per year.

And yet many of those extra tasks are actually ideal candidates for automation.

40 to 80% of your work often involves repetition

It may sound harsh, but it’s the reality in many organizations: most of the work is routine. Think of answering emails, generating standard reports, handling customer inquiries, publishing content—that sort of work. Necessary, but far from inspiring.

A digital assistant can easily take over those kinds of tasks. After a brief training session, he or she can get to work independently. You’ll notice the difference in no time: fewer mistakes, faster turnaround times, and much less hassle. And you’ll often find that you don’t actually need that extra colleague anymore.

Not just saving money, but also growing

What people often forget: a digital assistant isn’t just there to take work off your hands. In fact, they can also help increase your visibility, attract new customers, and even boost your revenue.

Take a Digital Marketing Specialist, for example, who writes blog posts, translates and publishes them in multiple languages, and posts them on your website and social media—all automatically. Your marketing runs 24/7 without anyone having to be there to manage it. That generates more leads. And more leads simply means more revenue.

The math is really simple

A Digital Employee costs €500 per month. Suppose he or she helps you avoid having to fill a single job opening and also drives additional revenue growth—in that case, you’ll easily achieve a 300% ROI. And honestly, that’s a conservative estimate.

At AIMAZE, we’re often asked: “How does a language model actually work? How is it possible for a computer to handle language so well?”
It’s a logical question, because language models like ChatGPT are being used more and more often, but for many people, they’re still a mystery. That’s why I’d like to walk you through a clear explanation—without using complicated jargon, and with examples from everyday life.

Why do so many people want to know this?

We live in an age where artificial intelligence is popping up everywhere. Chatbots write texts, respond to emails, or explain complex concepts. But what really happens when you ask a question?
The secret lies in three smart steps: tokenization, word embeddings, and architectural developments. Let’s explore them together!

Step 1: Tokenization – Breaking text into pieces

To humans, sentences make sense and are full of meaning. To a computer, they’re just a string of characters. That’s why text is first broken down into small pieces called “tokens.”

Example:
Take the sentence:
“The vacation starts next week.”

The computer breaks this down into:

Each token is assigned a number so that the computer can process everything as numbers.
It works a bit like a shopping list: each item is assigned a number so you can quickly see what you need.

Step 2: Word embeddings – Words take on meaning

Now the computer knows which individual pieces of text there are, but it doesn’t yet know what they mean. This is where word embeddings come into play.
Word embeddings assign each word a spot on an imaginary map, so that the computer can understand which words belong together or are similar to one another.

Example:
Imagine a map with all kinds of food. “Apple” and “Pear” are close together because they’re both fruits.
“Pizza” is located somewhere else, but it’s closer to “Lasagna” than to “Apple.”

This helps the language model make connections. For example, if you ask:
“What’s a good dessert after pizza?”
The model understands that “ice cream” or “tiramisu” is a logical answer, because those are also foods and often appear together.

Step 3: Architectural developments – Working smart with context

In the past, computers could only look at individual words, but with modern techniques (such as the Transformer), language models have become truly context-aware.
These smart models remember what has been said earlier in a text or conversation and use that information to provide an appropriate response.

Example from everyday life:
“My grandpa used to make pea soup all the time. It was delicious.”
The language model now understands that “it” refers to the soup, not the grandpa.

Thanks to this smart architecture, the model can truly think along with you, even when a conversation gets longer or more complicated.

Everything at a glance

So, when you ask a digital assistant a question on AIMAZE, here’s what happens:

  1. Tokenization: Your sentence is broken down into small pieces that a computer can understand.
  2. Word embeddings: Each word is assigned a position on a kind of invisible map, which allows the computer to determine which words belong together.
  3. Architectural developments: Thanks to smart models like the Transformer, the computer understands the entire context and provides a logical, human-like response.

Why is this special?

Thanks to these three smart steps, it sometimes really feels like you’re talking to a colleague. That’s not magic—it’s the result of smart technology and extensive research.

So the next time you chat with an AIMAZE digital assistant, you’ll know that under the hood there’s a really smart language model that processes, understands, and responds to your text in a flash!

Would you like to know more, or do you have a specific question? We’d be happy to explain further at AIMAZE. Curiosity is the first step to learning!

Duolingo said out loud what many companies already feel deep down: if AI can do the work, why would we still hire anyone? That sounds harsh—but it’s honest. And it’s just the beginning.
We’re at a tipping point. Amara’s Law states that we overestimate technology in the short term and underestimate it in the long term. But honestly? I think that long term has already begun.

At AIMAZE, we see it happen every day. Our Digital Employees are evolving so quickly that what seems cutting-edge today will be standard in just a few months. A new generation of Digital Employees is already on the horizon this fall—more powerful, more human, and more independent. For organizations, that means only one thing: this must become a strategic priority right now.

Don't be afraid—wake up

AI is taking over jobs. Yes. But that doesn’t mean humans will disappear. Our role is changing. And that’s happening faster than many people think. Less repetition, less paperwork, less noise. More creativity, collaboration, and meaningful work.
I sincerely believe that, if implemented properly, this could well be the biggest boost to the quality of work in decades. Less stress. Less absenteeism. More satisfaction. More room for what people are truly good at.

One question for you

When you look at your team or organization today—are you actively working on this transformation? Or are you secretly hoping it will pass you by?

AI-first is coming. The choice you have is this: will you be at the forefront, or bring up the rear?

Do you ever wonder how you can better manage the ever-increasing workload in your organization? Perhaps it’s time to get to know an AIMAZE Digital Employee. A Digital Employee works 24/7, never complains, and never forgets a thing. Companies, both large and small, are increasingly drawn to these innovative colleagues. Why? Because they transform the way companies automate their work processes and take the pressure off their teams. From marketing to customer service, these digital wizards can be deployed anywhere without ever asking for a minute’s break.

H2: What exactly is a Digital Employee?

A Digital Employee is much more than a simple virtual assistant. It’s an AI-driven colleague that takes over repetitive tasks from you without complaint. These technological masterpieces can help you write and publish content, answer customer questions, and even draft complete reports. With AIMAZE, these assistants are trained in your unique style and processes, ensuring they integrate seamlessly with your team.

H2: What exactly does a Digital Assistant do for you?

If you're wondering how such a digital powerhouse can support you in your daily life, take a look at the following possibilities:

H2: The Benefits at a Glance

With a Digital Employee, you’re bringing someone on board who:
– Is available 24/7: Work continues while you sleep.
– Never gets sick or takes vacation: Always available and reliable.
– Gets up to speed quickly: Is immediately trained in your tone of voice.
– Is cost-effective: Starting at just €500 per month.
– Is scalable: Easily add additional digital employees.

H2: Who might be interested in a Digital Assistant?

The use of a Digital Employee is extremely inspiring for a wide range of industries. For example:

H2: Why Choose AIMAZE?

As the market leader in Digital Employees, AIMAZE goes beyond a standard chatbot. We ensure that every Digital Employee is a custom-built colleague, trained to match your tone, processes, and systems. This gives you a team member who truly contributes to your goals.

Are you ready to bring a Digital Employee into your organization? Join the revolution in human resources management. Request a demo or schedule a no-obligation consultation. Your Digital Employee can be up and running in just 10 days. Discover the benefits today and pave the way for a more efficient future!

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) within organizations often raises questions. What’s the best choice: an AI tool, a custom AI solution, or a Digital Employee? In reality, it’s not a matter of choosing between these options, but rather of combining them in a smart way. Just as you perform some tasks yourself and delegate others to colleagues in your daily work, the same applies to AI: different applications each have their own role.

AI Tools: Fast and Efficient Support for Small Tasks

AI tools are designed to perform specific, well-defined tasks. Examples include text generation using a chatbot like ChatGPT or an AI-powered image editing tool. These tools offer immediate support without requiring extensive implementation. They’re ideal for small, standalone tasks that you’d often do yourself in daily life, rather than delegating them to a colleague. Examples include rephrasing a text, creating a quick summary, or editing an image.

Custom AI Solutions: Tailored to Specific Challenges

Sometimes, a standard AI tool isn’t enough. A company may face unique challenges that require a custom AI solution. An AI solution is developed specifically to address a business problem and can range from a predictive model for customer behavior to an advanced data analysis tool. Developing such a solution requires expertise, a thorough analysis of the company’s needs, and a detailed implementation process.

Digital Employees: Versatile Support Within Organizations

A Digital Employee goes beyond a standalone AI tool or a specific AI solution. It is an AI-driven assistant that supports organizations with recurring and time-consuming tasks. While AI tools often have a single function and AI solutions require customization, a Digital Employee continuously grows and evolves. As soon as a new task is taught, it becomes immediately available to all users, making it increasingly versatile.

In addition, a Digital Employee stands out for its ability to communicate naturally with employees and customers. This means that, in addition to tasks such as data entry and content creation, a Digital Employee can also respond to emails, handle WhatsApp messages, and even make phone calls. As a result, this AI solution functions as a full-fledged member of a team and takes over routine tasks, allowing employees to focus on more complex or strategic work. Furthermore, a Digital Employee can add extra value because it is continuously trained on the latest developments within a field.

In practice, we also see that many employees outsource smaller, day-to-day tasks to a Digital Employee in order to work faster and with higher quality. This ensures that a Digital Employee not only takes over repetitive tasks but also provides flexible support within various processes.

The synergy of “and” rather than “or”

The main advantage of AI lies in the combination of different applications. There’s no need to choose between an AI tool, a custom AI solution, or a Digital Employee; in fact, they often complement each other. This is similar to how you might sometimes turn to a colleague for support, while performing other tasks independently with a tool.

In practice, this means that, just like a human colleague, a Digital Employee not only takes over repetitive and time-consuming tasks but can also actively contribute to the quality of the work. Because a Digital Employee is always up to date on the latest developments in a given field, it can offer valuable insights and contribute ideas for substantive improvements.

While AI tools are suitable for small, individual tasks and customized AI solutions address specific business challenges, a Digital Employee provides broad support and functions as a full-fledged team member. By intelligently combining these technologies, organizations can operate more efficiently and better prepare for the future.

AIMAZE has won the prestigious “Future of Work” award and is now in the spotlight. Several newspapers have also highlighted our partnership with Fontys, which focuses on Digital Employees as efficient colleagues.

EINDHOVEN – They have a name and a face, never get tired, and never get sick: digital employees are on the rise. It is the Eindhoven-based company Aimaze that develops these digital colleagues and recently won a Future of Work Award for them. The company is now partnering with the Fontys ICT InnovationLab to further develop the concept.
Hans Schuurmans, who has already made his mark in the world of artificial intelligence (AI), founded Aimaze earlier this year with his son Jelte. They now have a team of fourteen: eight people and six digital colleagues.
“Digital employees can take over many repetitive tasks,” says Schuurmans. “Take an HR employee, for example. The digital colleague can play an important role in recruiting candidates, but also in personnel administration. This gives the people in the department more time to do work that cannot be done by a digital assistant.”

Read the full article:
👉 Not exactly the life of the party at staff gatherings, but highly efficient as a colleague: the Digital Employee is on the rise

Stel je eens voor…

Voor je ligt een lijst met moeilijk in te vullen vacatures. Een marketeer, HR-medewerker of sales zijn bijna niet te vinden. Of ze hebben niet het niveau en zijn onbetaalbaar. De druk om te innoveren in een competitieve, technologiegedreven markt voelt immens. Je vraagt je af hoe je de uitdagingen van talentacquisitie en technologische vooruitgang kunt overbruggen.

Surfend op het internet, lees je over AIMAZE’s Digitale Medewerkers. Aanvankelijk ben je sceptisch. Hoe kunnen digitale medewerkers een verschil maken in de echte uitdagingen van jouw bedrijf? Maar, gedreven door nieuwsgierigheid, besluit je om deze mogelijkheid te verkennen.

Meer dan een AI bot, een ware collega.

Je ontdekt al snel dat deze Digitale Medewerkers niet zomaar geavanceerde tools zijn. Ze zijn intelligente, aanpasbare teamleden die volledige vakgebieden kunnen beheren. Ze zijn in staat zich aan te passen aan de dynamiek van jouw organisatie en blijven zich ontwikkelen.

Wat je het meest aanspreekt, is de menselijke kant van deze Digitale Medewerkers. Ze beschikken over unieke persoonlijkheden en communicatiestijlen, waardoor ze feilloos integreren met jouw bestaande team. Hun efficiëntie gecombineerd met hun benaderbaarheid maakt hen een waardevolle aanvulling. Je kunt mailen, chatten en hun skills-portfolio is indrukwekkend.

Digital Assistant
Digital Assistant
Digital Assistant

Verbeterde productiviteit

Digitale Medewerkers kunnen taken sneller en effectiever uitvoeren. Ze zijn breed opgeleid. Weten alles over de organisatie en hun vakgebied.

Betere besluitvorming

Met toegang tot enorme hoeveelheden data kunnen digitale medewerkers menselijke besluitvormers ondersteunen met nauwkeurige analyses en voorspellingen.

Menselijke Touch

Digitale medewerkers zijn ontworpen om menselijke interacties na te bootsen, waardoor ze empathie kunnen tonen en effectief kunnen communiceren.

Deze innovatie blijkt de ideale oplossing voor de uitdagingen waarmee je wordt geconfronteerd. Voor slechts €500 exclusief BTW per maand, kun je jouw team uitbreiden met een capabele Digitale Medewerker. En met de tijdelijke actie om de on-boarding kosten van €1500 weg te laten, is de keuze nog eenvoudiger. Op toegankelijke wijze maak je ineens gebruik van de kracht van AI.

Een nieuw tijdperk voor jouw organisatie.

De keuze voor AIMAZE’s Digitale Medewerkers kan jouw bedrijf transformeren. Je overwint niet alleen de uitdaging van het vinden van gekwalificeerd personeel, maar brengt ook een golf van innovatie en efficiëntie in jouw organisatie.

Jouw moment om te handelen.

Neem nu de stap om de toekomst van jouw werk te transformeren. Ervaar de impact van AIMAZE’s Digitale Medewerkers. Vraag een gratis en vrijblijvende demo aan en zie hoe jouw bedrijf naar een hoger niveau getild kan worden.

AIMAZE, a pioneer in Digital AI Employees, has won the prestigious “Future of Work” award. The company secured the coveted title thanks to a combination of overwhelming public support and the highest score from the jury. With its innovative approach to transforming work processes and increasing labor productivity, AIMAZE is setting a new standard for the future of work.

AIMAZE excelled in all categories.

The jury evaluated the candidates based on four key criteria: future-proof change, potential for profit and efficiency, distinctiveness, and the ability to facilitate organizational change. AIMAZE excelled in all categories.

“This recognition is a milestone for AIMAZE,” said Jelte Schuurmans, CTO of AIMAZE, who accepted the award alongside AI Software Developer Jort van Driel. “Winning this award while we are still in our startup phase not only confirms our vision but also underscores the dedication of our entire team. Together with our partners, we are developing technology that has a tangible impact on the workplace.”

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A revolutionary impact on the workplace

AIMAZE’s Digital Employees stand out for their human-centered approach. Unlike traditional software tools, they function as full-fledged team members who integrate seamlessly into existing workflows. This innovative approach results in significant cost savings and efficiency gains—exactly what organizations need in today’s tight labor market.

“The success of our Digital Employees is a joint effort,” Schuurmans continues. “Our close collaboration with customers and partners allows us to continuously refine our technology. The result is a solution that not only lightens the workload but also significantly increases organizational effectiveness.”

Looking Ahead to 2025

AIMAZE announces that it will launch new features in early 2025 that will further expand the capabilities of Digital Employees. “We are still only at the beginning of what is possible,” Schuurmans emphasizes. “The upcoming updates will take labor productivity to new heights and enable organizations to operate even more efficiently. This award motivates us to pursue our mission—making companies future-proof—with even greater energy.”

RAG, or Retrieval-Augmented Generation, is a revolutionary technology that enables AI systems to connect directly to your business data. Instead of relying solely on historical training data, a RAG system can retrieve relevant information from internal sources to generate answers that closely align with your organization’s context. This makes RAG an essential tool for companies looking to leverage AI to better support their customers, improve processes, and gain a competitive advantage.

Generative AI systems typically have access to outdated data—everything that existed at the time the model was trained. This can result in answers that are sometimes inaccurate or simply out of date. RAG systems solve this problem by enriching AI with up-to-date business information, which not only makes the answers more accurate but also specifically tailored to the questions and context within your organization.

Imagine an AI that knows exactly what’s in your manuals, internal documentation, and customer files. No more generic responses, but personalized and accurate answers that align perfectly with your business goals. This makes RAG systems not only smarter, but also much more reliable and easier to control—indispensable for applications in areas such as customer service, compliance, and other critical business processes.

How RAG differs from traditional AI and fine-tuning

Companies can often customize AI in two ways: using RAG or fine-tuning. Fine-tuning involves customizing an AI model by retraining it with specific data, which can be expensive and time-consuming. RAG eliminates the need for this: without retraining, an AI system can retrieve business information immediately whenever needed. This means you can quickly harness the power of generative AI without additional costs or time investments, while still receiving relevant and business-specific answers.
RAG thus offers a cost-effective and flexible solution for organizations that want to deploy AI for specific purposes without additional model adjustments.

Real-world examples: where RAG really makes a difference

RAG really shines in situations where precision and reliability are crucial. Consider compliance, where a wrong answer can have serious consequences, or customer service, where customers will walk away if they don’t get the right answer quickly. RAG enables AI to adapt to the specific needs and rules within your organization.

For companies that deal with customer inquiries, RAG enables AI to quickly and accurately find answers in customer data and product information. This makes customer service proactive and relevant, without causing long wait times.

In short, RAG offers a way to deploy AI tailored to your organization. No more generic responses—just smart, accurate solutions that contribute to your success. With RAG, you get not only an AI that can provide great answers, but one that’s perfectly aligned with your organization and business goals.

The benefits of RAG at a glance

RAG enables organizations to use AI in a way that closely aligns with their specific business context. Instead of generic answers, a RAG system provides accurate and relevant advice by specifically retrieving the right information that aligns with the company’s question and situation. An additional benefit of RAG is cost savings: because it can process business data directly without model adjustments, retraining costs are significantly reduced. Furthermore, RAG makes AI more reliable and easier to control; the AI output is based on the most recent and relevant business information, meaning that the results are consistent and easier to monitor. This results in higher customer satisfaction, as customers are assisted more quickly with accurate answers, leading to a better customer experience.

RAG is therefore a robust, accessible, and efficient solution for deploying AI in a way that truly adds value to the organization.