Bundesdigitalminister Karsten Wildberger (CDU) has issued a warning regarding Germany’s increasing vulnerability due to the dominance of US corporations in the field of Artificial Intelligence. He noted that while the Silicon Valley environment has a spirit of innovation and “creative destruction,” Germany has often maintained a mindset of caution and unwillingness to embrace change. Wildberger argues that a dedicated strategic infrastructure policy is necessary, stating, “I am shocked that we are only waking up now, as the geopolitical situation fundamentally shifts.”
He emphasized that the potential of AI lies in a completely new dimension, suggesting it could spur “exorbitant growth”-a growth necessary to finance the broad societal and workplace transformations driven by this technology. However, the former executive expressed profound concern over a loss of autonomy. His greatest worry is the development of a dependency where Germany itself cannot develop or control its own technologies, particularly in AI.
Wildberger cautioned against the notion that innovation’s speed could simply be curtailed to protect the country. He warned that attempts at regulatory braking would merely shift innovation elsewhere, thereby deepening Germany’s dependence. While acknowledging that insufficient creative space for ideas and technology exists in Europe, he stressed that governmental oversight is vital. He affirmed that product testing and intervention are necessary if social disadvantages emerge, calling the defense of European democratic values an indispensable strategic priority. Currently, the government is actively considering which national capabilities are non-substitutable and which areas are critical for other nations.
