Maksym Balaniuk, Director of the R&D Centre at Metinvest Digital, spoke about the opportunities and risks of AI-based industrial solutions, training programmes for young IT specialists, and the impact of technology on jobs at the "Role of the Technological Industry in Rebuilding the Country and Shaping the New Ukrainian Economy" conference in Kyiv.
The event brought together business representatives, tech leaders, and investors. Participants discussed how Ukraine's IT industry can become a driving force for economic recovery and growth – both during the war and after victory. The conference was organized by the analytical center We Build Ukraine.
Maksym Balaniuk took part in the panel discussion "How AI changes industry: new era of Ukrainian technologies." Representatives of KNESS, FRENDT, HOLYWATER, The Fourth Law and Odd Systems also joined the discussion.
Capabilities of technology
He emphasised that artificial intelligence has enormous potential in industry – not only for office workers but also for blue- and grey-collar workers. Metinvest Digital is building expertise in this area, helping businesses realistically assess the potential of new technologies.
"AI is not a magic pill for all business problems – it is a powerful tool whose efficiency depends on data quality, processes, and proper implementation. At the same time, the cost of technology has significantly dropped: a few years ago, AI-based solutions were hundreds of times more expensive, but now their implementation and development are becoming affordable for Ukrainian businesses," said Maksym BALANIUK.
Answering a question about data standardisation, the expert noted that Metinvest Digital relies on classical data quality management approaches and applies the best international practices.
He also highlighted that no artificial intelligence can independently collect, clean, or structure data without human involvement. This is a systematic process that must evolve alongside technology.
AI and people
According to Maksym Balaniuk, AI does not replace people in the company; it transforms their roles and raises skill requirements. It gives employees opportunities to learn faster and acquire new competencies.
"We are creating tools and assistants that help people handle more tasks. You can choose a specific area, take on part of the work, and then dive deeper into the topic," he said.
For example, these changes are particularly relevant for business analysts, who are now expected to have a deep understanding of the business, propose solutions, and contribute meaningfully to processes – not just perform formal tasks.
"My goal is to increase the number of such specialists and expand these areas, first for our parent company, and then for our clients as well," added Metinvest Digital's representative.
According to him, AI has not significantly changed the list of roles in the company. "Engineers, business analysts, and managers remain, but skill requirements for them change. After the process optimization in 2022, there are no positions that AI could completely replace, but it will certainly transform how people work," explained the representative.
Searching for talents
Maksym Balaniuk noted that the company actively hires young engineers – first, to nurture professionals with the right work mindset, and second, because young specialists already have experience with new technologies and adapt their skills much faster.
Particularly, Mining and Metallurgical University Metinvest Polytechnic is developing educational IT-programmes. Students there gain practical knowledge that prepares them for real market challenges. As a private university, it can update curricula and teaching methods much faster — before technologies become outdated – unlike state universities, where these processes move much slower.
Moreover, Metinvest Digital has a six-month internship programme for students. Every year, the company welcomes interns, and the best of them join the team afterward. "In recent years, there has been a long queue of applicants, so we have no shortage of new talent. We are very satisfied with the results and plan to hire several interns," added Maksym.
In contrast, he believes that short-term internships at state universities often become a mere formality. "Two weeks are not enough to teach a student anything, it is just a process imitation to get a stamp on a document," explained Metinvest Digital's representative.
AI risks
Artificial intelligence and business process automation open new opportunities for companies but also pose social risks, especially in large organisation with complex structures. Even if the technology can optimise processes and reduce costs, its implementation can affect employees, their roles, and their positions.
"When we talk about AI or any other technologies, we must remember that companies are built by people. They have careers, positions, and subordination. So when a tech company proposes a solution that could cut 50% of personnel, social aspects can become a real barrier to implementation," emphasised Maksym Balaniuk.
Therefore, implementing new technologies requires not only technical readiness and investment but also thoughtful work with people and internal processes to ensure that innovation becomes a source of progress, not instability.
