HiQ

How We Use ChatGPT Today

Most people use ChatGPT to save time in daily life. At work, it’s often about polishing texts: making emails more formal, shortening reports, or making presentations more compelling. In private life, it’s recipe ideas, travel planning, or a faster way of googling for facts.

That’s valuable, and for many, ChatGPT has already become an essential tool. But the use is still fairly basic and far from what the technology can actually deliver. We settle for the flashlight when the entire app ecosystem is waiting to be explored.

So Much More Is Possible

To move from flashlight to full iPhone functionality, we need a higher level of ambition. Some examples of how ChatGPT can be used more powerfully: 

• Agentic Workflow: Many companies struggle with time-consuming manual processes. ChatGPT can act as a process engine orchestrating other systems. The value: freed-up time, fewer errors, and scalability.
• Decision-support copilot: Management teams often lack quick, high-quality decision input. ChatGPT can analyze data and create scenarios. The value: faster and better decisions.
• Hyper-personalized customer interactions: Customers often face generic messages. ChatGPT can create tailored communication based on customer data. The value: higher conversion, loyalty, and customer lifetime value.
• Compliance & contract watchdog: Lawyers and auditors are overwhelmed by agreements and regulations. ChatGPT can review and flag discrepancies. The value: reduced risk and lower compliance costs.
• Internal training and onboarding: New hires and teams often struggle to get up to speed. ChatGPT can function as an interactive coach and training partner. The value: shorter onboarding times and a more consistent knowledge level across the organization.

What We Risk Missing 

If we don’t raise our ambitions, we miss the real potential. According to research, generative AI could already today create welfare gains equivalent to hundreds of billions of dollars each year. But that requires moving beyond small efficiency gains in the inbox and instead using the technology for deeper analysis, better decisions, and stronger innovation.

It’s in the strategic, creative, and long-term use that the big difference emerges. Seeing AI as more than a digital assistant, and instead as a partner in how we learn, develop, and make decisions, is the way forward.

From Flashlight to Full Functionality

To level up, we need a new perspective on technology. We must start seeing ChatGPT not just as a service for quick answers but as a partner in our thinking. Once we do that, we can use it to drive processes, strengthen decision-making, and develop new ways of working.

When we limit ourselves to the flashlight, we never see what the phone can really do. But when we unlock the full ecosystem – the apps, the camera, the communication – it reveals its full potential. The same goes for generative AI. It’s only when we use it to support research, innovation, strategic decisions, and learning that we see the true power we have access to.

When AI Becomes Both Defense and Weapon

AI has already begun to redefine cybersecurity. Cybercriminals use generative models to create convincing phishing emails, deepfakes, and large-scale automated fraud campaigns. Tools that once required advanced technical skills are now commercially available for just a few dozen dollars a month.
AI is also used to develop and modify malicious code, discover vulnerabilities, and manipulate existing AI systems – all with increasing precision and speed.

“We are seeing in practice how the same AI technology is used on both the attacking and defending sides. As we strengthen our security capabilities, new ways for attackers to exploit the technology emerge.”
– Pernilla Rönn, Head of Cybersecurity, HiQ

But AI is not just a threat. As cybersecurity solutions become more intelligent, AI is used to detect and stop intrusions far faster than before. In Security Operations Centers, up to half of all incidents are now handled with the support of AI, which analyzes logs, identifies anomalies, and prioritizes threats in real time.

Three Ways AI Is Transforming Cyber Threats 

1. Attackers scale up with generative AI. Hyper-personalized phishing emails, voice clones, and deepfakes no longer require advanced tools – only access to ready-made solutions.
2. The attack surface expands rapidly. AI generates new code, finds vulnerabilities, and bypasses defenses in real time.
3. Defenders become smarter. AI strengthens detection, analysis, and response – but requires proper implementation to avoid new risks.

A Growing Attack Surface and New Vulnerabilities 

As AI becomes integrated into more parts of the organization, both efficiency and complexity increase. New attack surfaces emerge in data flows, code, and decision-making processes. At the same time, we see a growing phenomenon known as shadow AI – AI tools used within the organization without approval, risk assessment, or testing.

“Without standardized and secure AI solutions, employees turn to their own tools. The result is a shadow-AI landscape with fragmented data, low traceability, and increased compliance risks.”
– Sofie Perslow, Head of AI, HiQ

Preventing shadow AI requires three things:

• Clear ownership of AI – with a central authority coordinating strategy, risk assessment, and guidelines.
• A culture of awareness – where employees understand both the value and risks of AI, and receive training on proper tool usage.
• Good and approved alternatives – secure platforms that are as smooth and useful as open tools, so employees don’t feel the need to bypass the organization.

When these elements are missing, invisible risks arise around data leakage, bias, and lack of transparency. This is where governance and culture become crucial – not just to avoid incidents, but to enable sustainable, business-driven AI adoption.

AI as Part of the Cyber Defense

At the same time, AI enables entirely new defensive capabilities.

• Detection and response: AI-driven XDR/NDR solutions identify anomalies in networks and endpoints in real time.
• Incident analysis: Generative models summarize incidents, triage cases, and help security teams and SOC analysts act faster and more effectively.
• Threat intelligence: AI-based knowledge graphs map leaked data, trends, and dark web activity before attackers exploit them.

“AI can make security more accurate, but only if it is built the right way. It’s about combining technological innovation with clear governance and meaningful human oversight.”
– Pernilla Rönn

About Lively Apps

Founded in Munich, is a small team of just eight. Yet they have helped over 3,000 companies worldwide streamline collaboration and boost productivity since joining the Atlassian Marketplace in 2013. Their apps extend Atlassian’s core products, transforming Confluence into an active and vibrant workspace for their users.With tools like for effortless data integration and for engaging internal communication, Lively Apps shows how a passionate, small team can make enterprise software feel personal and dynamic.

In this blog post, we welcome you into our internal hub to show you how we use Lively Blogs to turn Confluence into a dynamicplace for announcing company-wide news.

The Challenge: Making News Get Read  

As HiQ continued to grow, it became harder to keep internal communication aligned. From marketing campaigns and HR updates to leadership announcements, there wasn’t a single place where employees could reliably find the latest news.

The team needed a solution that would:

• centralize all latest info in Confluence
• make important updates stand out
• encourage contributions from different departments

The Solution: A Custom Dashboard with Lively Blogs 

HiQ tackled this challenge by using Lively Blogs for Confluence.

This setup transformed the homepage into a company-wide news channel. Team members across departments, not just Marketing, now use Lively Blogs to share updates, big and small. Whether it’s a new HR policy, a leadership announcement, or a campaign launch, everything flows into one accessible stream.

“It’s become a natural habit,” Alina says. “When people want to know what’s going on, they check the dashboard. It’s right there.”

Highlighting What Matters

To make key information stand out, HiQ uses our favourite feature. With our “important” label, you can pin any post you want at the top of the Confluence. This ensures leadership messages, time-sensitive HR updates, or strategic changes don’t get lost in the flow of regular updates.

1. You’ve lived and worked across Italy, New Zealand, and Germany. What experiences shaped your view of technology and leadership? 

Living in three very different countries really shaped me. In New Zealand, I learned how smaller markets can be incredibly open and creative. In Germany, I’ve worked with some of the largest enterprises, and that gave me a sense of scale and discipline. And being Italian… well, I guess that’s where the energy comes from. 

For me, leadership is about people. It’s about understanding your clients and your teams, speaking their language, and helping them succeed. Technology is just the tool. You have to know what problem you’re actually solving. 

2. Why was HiQ the right move for you now?  

I’ve spent most of my career in big corporates like Accenture, Cognizant, T-Systems and Adobe. Fantastic experiences, but I reached a point where I wanted something more entrepreneurial, where you roll up your sleeves, build things, and see the direct impact. 

When I met HiQ, it just clicked. The culture is down-to-earth, flat, and full of passionate people. And I thought: this is where I can bring the best of what I’ve learned, without all the corporate layers that slow you down. It felt like the perfect fit. 

3. Having been at HiQ for a few weeks, how would you describe HiQ’s “north star” and what excites you most about contributing to it? 

Our north star is clear: outcomes. Clients don’t want “projects,” they want results. More efficiency, more revenue, more resilience. What excites me is that HiQ can actually deliver that. Across Sweden, Finland and Germany, we’ve got amazing skills and references. And when you put those together, you see how powerful we can be as one company. We’re not just talking about technology. We’re making it work in practice. 

4. Looking at Germany and Europe, where do you see the strongest demand right now? 

In Germany, sectors like manufacturing, automotive and financial services are very active. But I wouldn’t say they’re looking for “tech” in itself. They’re looking for solutions that help them grow, cut costs, or simply survive in a very uncertain market. That’s where we put our focus. 

5. What trends will separate tomorrow’s tech leaders from the pack? 

The future belongs to companies that put software at the heart of their business. Not as a support function, but as the core of how they innovate and compete. To keep up, you need to move fast from pilots to production in AI, automation, and digital platforms – and showing real ROI, not just experiments. 

And at the same time, you can’t forget trust. Cybersecurity is no longer a side topic; it’s the foundation. Tomorrow’s leaders will be the ones who can innovate at speed while keeping their solutions safe, compliant and resilient.  

6. What role should HiQ play in the European tech scene, and how do you see synergies with Sweden and Finland supporting that vision? 

HiQ has fantastic expertise across Europe – AI in Sweden, public sector in Finland, and strong cybersecurity skills in both. Here in Germany, we strengthen areas within cloud platforms and agile software development with really skilled talent. For me, it’s about the mix. When we put it all together, we’re much stronger as one HiQ, and that’s what really benefits our clients. 

I see our role as helping clients put software right at the center of their business and even of society. And when we share knowledge and references across countries, we can move faster and create more value, whether that’s building AI solutions, securing critical infrastructure, or driving digital transformation in highly regulated industries. 

7. Many organizations are stuck in AI “pilot purgatory.” How will HiQ help clients move to production and measurable ROI – and beyond AI, which platforms or technologies will be most critical to deliver outcomes? 

AI is a must, but right now most companies are still testing. The challenge is getting from pilots to production, and proving the business case. That’s where HiQ can help: finding the processes where AI makes a real difference, and bringing references from across the group to show it actually works. 

Beyond AI, digital experience platforms, developer productivity and data will be crucial. But the point is not the platform – it’s the outcome. That’s where we put our focus. 

8. What’s your main focus in the first quarters – both in terms of growth and in building culture? 

My background is in sales and business development, so of course, growth is a big focus. But growth for me means helping clients succeed: opening new opportunities with them, showing what else we can do, and earning their trust to do more together. 

Culturally, I don’t micromanage. I often joke that I already have four kids at home. What I do is give direction and responsibility. That way our people feel ownership, and our clients feel the energy and commitment in every project. 

9. If we meet again in a year, what successes or milestones would you like to celebrate? 

I’d love to say: we’ve won new clients, we’ve grown with the ones we already have, and we’ve delivered solutions that actually run in production. And I hope our clients would tell us: “this was real value, not just another IT project.” 

And of course, I’d also like us to have had some fun along the way – maybe even celebrating together at a big party. 

10. What technology trend excites you most right now – practically, not just hype? 

Definitely AI. But not the hype – I’m excited about the shift it’s creating in our industry. Service and consulting companies can no longer just sell people and hours. We have to sell outcomes, platforms, results. That’s a massive change, and I think it’s going to redefine how we all work. 

11. What’s one book, podcast, or habit that keeps you sharp as a leader? 

Honestly, I don’t have a miracle morning routine or a favourite leadership podcast. I’m a normal person. Some days start strong, some not so much. What keeps me grounded and growing is listening: to clients, to colleagues, to people who challenge my thinking. 

If there’s one thing I try to do consistently, it’s stay curious and connected. Leadership is a people business. You learn the most by being open, showing up, and really hearing what others have to say. 

I make it a habit to regularly speak with clients and stay close to what’s happening on the ground, that’s where the best insights come from. And I try to learn from every team I’ve worked with: what energized them, what slowed them down. Those lessons compound over time far more than any bestseller ever could.

12. Finally – what’s your message to potential clients who don’t know HiQ yet, and to candidates considering joining HiQ in Germany? 

To clients: Give us a chance to show you what we can do. We combine international reach with local focus and we’re pragmatic, we’re fast, and we focus on results that matter for your business. 

To candidates: If you want to take responsibility, grow, and build something new, join us. You’ll be part of an international group but also a local team where you can make a real difference. And yes, have fun while doing it.