The German federal government has expressed skepticism regarding proposals from leading American AI companies to slow down research and development in the field. A spokesman for the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs told dts Nachrichtenagentur on Monday that, “We do not see that as a viable path for Europe.” He elaborated that one core objective of the current federal government is to strengthen digital sovereignty, which inherently includes advancing AI development within Europe.
However, the spokesman noted that the global pace of AI development is closely monitored, and they take public warnings from major AI developers “very seriously.” He cautioned that as AI models become increasingly powerful, escape test environments, and independently penetrate other systems, the world faces an entirely new threat scenario.
Regarding countermeasures, the spokesman pointed to the establishment of a national AI security institute. He confirmed that the institute has begun its work and will enable them to identify and address security-relevant risks associated with AI early on. Furthermore, the government is resolutely pushing ahead with this construction and maintains a close dialogue with comparable institutions in partner countries. Minister Karsten Wildberger (CDU) has also advocated recently for global AI oversight, a dialogue which the federal government plans to continue promoting.
