Irene Bertschek has assumed the chairmanship of Germany’s Expert Commission for Research and Innovation (EFI), outlining a strategic focus on securing leadership in key technologies and accelerating digitalization.
In remarks to the “Handelsblatt”, Bertschek emphasized the need to reduce reliance on the United States and China in critical technological areas, while also advocating for a measured approach to achieving this independence. She succeeds Uwe Cantner as head of the EFI.
Regarding artificial intelligence, Bertschek acknowledged Germany’s solid research foundation but cautioned that other nations are currently taking the lead. She stressed the necessity of substantial investment in computing infrastructure to maintain competitiveness. She also highlighted a lack of national coordination in Germany’s bid for EU AI Factories, citing this as a detriment to securing funding.
A particular concern raised by Bertschek is Germany’s comparatively restricted use of data resources, attributing this to a stricter interpretation and application of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compared to nations like Finland and Denmark.
Bertschek welcomed the German government’s commitment to increase overall research and development spending to 3.5% of gross domestic product. However, she underscored the importance of strategic allocation, warning that investment in established technologies, such as internal combustion engines, would be counterproductive from an innovation policy perspective.
