The German federal government is hoping that European AI models will become established in the long run, thus reducing dependence on the United States and China in this sector.
A spokesman for the Digital Ministry stated in Berlin on Tuesday, “The discussion is often narrowed down to the US and China. We are now paying closer attention to Europe and are seeking ways-for instance, through state agencies serving as anchor clients or strategic procurers of IT services, and through legislative frameworks where we are working at the European level-to give European companies more room for innovation. This is simply about pushing developments from Europe forward. This must be the answer.”
The National Security Council, which held a closed-door session the previous day, addressed overall defense and the strategic handling of advanced AI models. When asked by the dts news agency which models the federal government is focusing on, the spokesman stated that access to “especially powerful frontier AI models” is considered a crucial strategic factor. He added that it is vital to ensure these models are reliably available to European companies and security agencies.
The development of a new AI Safety Institute is intended to be part of an effort to collaborate internationally. The spokesman also mentioned that collaboration was established with the British AI Safety Institute last week. This cooperation includes the exchange of experiences related to these powerful AI models.
