National AI Master Plan

The research, development and application of AI is to bring Germany to a world-leading level. The use of artificial intelligence is to be advanced responsibly and for the benefit of society, and new value creation potential is to be tapped.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides a reliable legal framework for innovative technologies and applications, including in the field of AI.

It contains rules on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data. The revision of the e-privacy regulation is intended to round off this protection concept.

Important steps have already been taken in Germany: As part of the German government's high-tech strategy, recommendations for action have been drawn up for the AI application areas of particular relevance to Germany: mobility, healthcare, autonomous systems, production and smart homes.

The Industrie 4.0 platform has successfully improved networking and collaboration in the field of Industrie 4.0, setting standards and attracting worldwide attention.

AI is also already being used in parts of the federal administration, for example by the German Patent and Trademark Office. The federal government has also long been funding projects in the field of AI as part of its support for basic research and application-oriented research. These measures are now being strategically bundled, expanded and supplemented.

The research landscape in Germany with competence centers is to be expanded and also networked with Europe. Scientists in the field of AI are to be attracted to Germany and the working conditions for young scientists are also to be made as attractive as possible.

Additional professorships for AI are to be established with the federal states. In addition, new ways of promoting research are being pursued: An agency for leap innovations is to be established, which will also address the topic of artificial intelligence.

The key points form the basis for the artificial intelligence strategy, which will be developed over the next few months. To this end, the German government will conduct a consultation process with organizations, associations and institutions working nationwide as well as expert workshops and specialist forums in the coming weeks. The strategy will be presented at the Digital Summit on December 3 and 4, 2018.