German Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger opened the government’s Digital Summit in Berlin on Monday with a call for faster progress in artificial intelligence. Speaking to European partners, European Commission representatives, businesses and researchers, the CDU politician said Germany and Europe were still moving too slowly, while AI had developed faster than expected.

Wildberger said decisions should be made while there was still room to choose between different approaches. He called for clear deadlines and responsibilities, particularly in energy infrastructure and investment.

The minister highlighted AI’s potential to accelerate scientific discoveries and improve public services. At the same time, he identified the cyber domain as the greatest area of risk, warning that attackers could also use AI. For systems capable of taking action independently, he demanded defined limits, human control and independent assessments. According to Wildberger, Germany has established an AI security institute that is intended to work with Canada.

He also pointed to industrial and telecommunications projects as examples of AI infrastructure development. Siemens in Erlangen is using AI and digital twins in production, while Deutsche Telekom has an AI factory in Munich. Wildberger said Germany intended to double its computing capacity and quadruple its AI computing capacity by 2030. The state should also act as an anchor customer for AI models, he said.

Before the summit, Wildberger had already urged greater engagement with AI, arguing that the technology could generate value, growth and jobs. He said Germany had the necessary capabilities and should now accelerate and consolidate work that had already begun.

Addressing Germany’s independence from the United States, Wildberger described sovereignty as the key concept. In his view, this initially meant having a choice over which partners and technologies to use, while continuing to support a world based on partnerships.

Government representatives, experts and technology companies from numerous countries are meeting in Berlin on Monday and Tuesday to discuss AI’s opportunities, risks and wider effects. Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to speak at the summit on Monday afternoon, meet business representatives and hold a press conference with Wildberger.

Sources: Handelsblatt.