Boom in artificial intelligence: German AI market grows by a third
The current boom in artificial intelligence is leading to a sharp rise in demand in the German market. Spending on AI software, services and corresponding hardware rose to 6.3 billion euros in 2023. This is an increase of 32% compared to 2022, when €4.8 billion was spent on artificial intelligence. This was announced by the digital association Bitkom on the basis of data from the market research company IDC. "The launch of ChatGPT a year ago was an initial spark for the use of AI. ChatGPT showed many people for the first time what AI can already do today," says Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst. "It has never been easier or more cost-effective for companies to use AI and gain initial experience. Now is the time to seize this opportunity."
In 2024, expenditure is expected to increase again by 30% to 8.2 billion euros. Market development depends very much on the regulatory framework. Wintergerst: "Providers and users of AI need a secure legal framework, which is why it is right that the EU is working on an AI Act. However, we must make sure that, unlike the General Data Protection Regulation, it does not backfire. The AI Act should focus on critical AI applications and not on foundation models as a basic technology."
Many people have had their first direct contact with artificial intelligence this year since ChatGPT became publicly accessible on November 30, 2022. According to a recent Bitkom survey of 1004 people in Germany aged 16 and over, 34% have already tried out the AI chatbot. 66% believe that ChatGPT and similar applications will fundamentally change our lives.
