Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger (CDU) has championed the idea of a European “Frontier Model” stating in an interview with the Handelsblatt that “Security is not only military”. He emphasized that while Europe possesses the necessary talent and research capabilities, he advocates for creating a structure that is self-sufficient rather than permanently reliant on state support.
Regarding the initial thrust for increased computing capacity, Wildberger did not rule out governmental assistance; if such aid were given, he would view it as a matter of national security. Furthermore, the minister revealed that Germany is already in discussions with several European partners regarding this development.
Wildberger also strongly urged for greater computing power within Germany, directing an appeal toward businesses. He posited that if a nation requires resources on such a scale, it should be treated as a viable business model, requiring that companies be able to invest, naturally accepting entrepreneurial risks. He contrasted this approach with systems where billions are allocated without an immediate return, calling the private sector drive “entrepreneurship”.
He further noted that the solutions do not necessarily have to involve massive Gigafactories equipped with 100,000 GPUs, adding that he is open to the idea of starting smaller. This perspective echoes comments made previously by Telekom CEO Tim Höttges, who remarked that while Telekom might not need a Gigafactory, Germany certainly does.
