The German government says it hopes to create the framework conditions for Germany to become Europe’s leading artificial intelligence country.

Steps include a business-friendly implementation of the European Union’s new AI regulations and better data availability for innovative start-ups, said Digital Minister Volker Wissing at the government’s Digital Summit in Frankfurt.

Germany has received international praise and recognition for its academic training of AI experts, but experts say there are major deficits in the use of AI applications in business and administration in the country.

No single company from Germany is among the world’s leading AI companies.

Economy Minister Robert Habeck said the summit showed that Germany was on the right track.

“But the competition is fierce, and we have to keep stepping on the gas. We need AI companies that can hold their own in global competition and bring AI applications to the wider German economy,” he said.

The United States, with players such as OpenAI and Google, and China, with companies such as Baidu and Alibaba, are regarded as leading AI firms worldwide.

The largest AI companies in Europe to date have come from France, the home of Mistral AI and Contentsquare.

In Germany, the Heidelberg-based start-up Aleph Alpha and the Cologne-based language specialist DeepL are among the leading AI companies, Mr Wissing said.

He referred to a study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which showed Germany in second place after the United States regarding AI patents and ahead of Japan and China. 

(dpa/NAN)