The heart of the digital economy

The way we live and work will be transformed by AI in such a fundamental way as occurred with the invention of the steam engine or electrification.

The German government has obviously recognized the importance of AI for the economy and society and is now pushing the pace. Just as the engine was at the heart of the car, AI will be at the heart of the digital economy.

Our common goal must be to make Germany a leading global location for AI. To achieve this, we need ambitious goals, resources and a legal framework that enables the use of data as the basis for AI applications.

Above all, however, we need the courage to make a decision. It is not a matter of building up many small AI centers, each of which is a regional champion. To play a leading role on a global scale, we need to focus.

We need to move away from the watering can principle, join forces and coordinate closely at the European level. This is the only way we can keep up with nations like the USA and China, which for their part are striving for the leading role in AI. AI does not primarily require computers, but brains and data.

We need at least 40 additional professorships for AI to train bright minds in this country - and then we must succeed in ensuring that they also translate their knowledge into practice here and do not take the fastest route abroad.