German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged Germany and Europe to expand their own artificial intelligence capabilities more quickly and reduce reliance on external technology providers.
Speaking at the federal government’s Digital Summit in Berlin on November 2, Merz said digital sovereignty had become a strategic issue as AI becomes increasingly embedded in the economy. He argued that Germany should be able to develop and manage technology independently and securely across the entire value chain, from hardware to software.
Merz called for far-reaching modernization of government and the economy and pointed to Germany’s strengths in industrial engineering. He also said Berlin would work with partners including France and Canada.
The Ifo economic research institute has warned that Germany’s ability to benefit fully from AI is constrained by paper-based administrative processes, poorly digitized public services, a relatively small high-tech sector and shortages of skilled workers.
The two-day summit, held under the motto “Shaping AI: safe, sovereign, competitive,” brings together political leaders, business representatives and researchers to discuss AI safety, competitiveness and technological independence.
