“Germany will not be a bystander in the field of artificial intelligence—it will lead. By 2030, we aim to become a global leader in AI: autonomous, secure, and governed by our own rules,” wrote German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on X.
From November 2 to 3, under the leadership of Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Digital Transformation Dr. Karsten Wildberger, Berlin hosted the federal government’s Digital Summit titled “Shaping Artificial Intelligence: Security, Sovereignty, Competitiveness,” addressing key aspects of AI—from political and strategic considerations to applications, safety, and the development of a vital AI ecosystem.
In his address, Chancellor Merz called for accelerated progress by Germany and Europe in the international race for AI: “We are able to, and I believe we must, develop and deploy digital technologies faster and more effectively in Germany and across Europe… We must, and we want to, be leaders.” At the same time, he emphasized that AI development must be guided by human values.
At the summit, he unveiled a dual-track strategy: in the short term, advancing the development of industrial-grade AI models to safeguard corporate competitiveness; simultaneously, investing in research into future AI models, including those in the domain of physical AI.
This summer, the federal government established an AI working group led by the Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs under the auspices of the National Security Council. The group set a target to position Germany as an “AI power” by 2030, outlining several concrete initiatives: at least 80% of large enterprises and 55% of small and medium-sized enterprises to adopt AI by 2030; doubling the number of AI startups; and ensuring that AI contributes more than 10% to national economic output.
Germany is also strengthening international cooperation, including partnerships with France and Canada, aimed at knowledge exchange and diversification of supply chains.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1880826788990025/
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