In brief

• Chancellor Merz urged Germany and Europe to speed up AI development and adoption at the federal digital summit in Berlin.
• Merz outlined a dual strategy: industrially usable AI models now, and future research such as physical AI.
• Digital Minister Wildberger warned that moving too slowly is the biggest risk, and called for Germany's own AI companies and technologies.
• Experts say the window to close Germany's gap is narrowing, with around one and a half years cited for the taskforce's agenda.

A dual strategy for industrial AI and future research

Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the summit that Germany and Europe must become much faster and better at developing digital technologies and putting them to real use. He said the country has to aim to be at the front of the field (Digitalgipfel in Berlin: Merz fordert mehr digitale Souveränität – tagesschau.de). He outlined a two-pronged approach: in the short term, the development of AI models that companies can use industrially, to protect their competitiveness; in parallel, research into the models of the future, including so-called physical AI.

Human values and digital sovereignty

Merz argued that human dignity must stand at the center of AI development and that the technology should be guided by human values (Digitalgipfel: KI muss sich laut Kanzler Merz an menschlichen Werten orientieren – ZEIT ONLINE) (Digitalgipfel: Merz: KI muss sich an menschlichen Werten orientieren – ZEIT ONLINE). He also called for greater digital sovereignty, meaning less dependence on foreign technology providers, and said the government intends to push research forward to reduce those dependencies (Digitalgipfel der Bundesregierung - Merz: "Abhängigkeiten bei KI reduzieren" – Deutschlandfunk).

Germany's lag and the risk of inaction

Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger, opening the event, said Germany must not miss the connection in AI. He acknowledged the risks of the technology but said the greater danger lies in moving too slowly and failing to decide. In his view, that would deepen dependence and cost growth opportunities (Chancen und Risiken von KI - Digitalgipfel der Bundesregierung hat begonnen – Deutschlandfunk). He stressed that Germany and Europe need their own successful AI companies and their own technologies.

Industry wants AI made in Germany

German companies used the summit to press for AI developed domestically (Digitalgipfel: Deutsche Unternehmen pochen auf KI made in Germany – FAZ.NET). Commentators describe a narrowing window: experts quoted in the coverage say Germany has little time left to catch up with international competitors (Digitalgipfel: «Zeitfenster schließt sich bald»: Deutschland unter KI-Druck – ZEIT ONLINE). One estimate reported by a leading daily gives the country around one and a half years to act on the taskforce's agenda (Digitalgipfel in Berlin: KI-Taskforce: Deutschland bleiben noch anderthalb Jahre – FAZ.NET).

Balancing regulation and competitiveness

The debate over regulation also featured prominently. Communication scientist Christoph Neuberger argued against the fear that strict rules on AI would weaken Europe's competitiveness, pointing instead to value-based regulation. The two-day summit in Berlin brings together more than 1,000 guests, including digital ministers from Europe and Canada, representatives of the EU Commission, the federal states, tech firms, science and civil society.