German govt to provide boost to artificial intelligence technologies in Germany

BERLIN - The federal government in Germany has announced ambitious plans on Wednesday to transform the country into an international leader in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's (CDU) cabinet passed a corresponding motion which set out the outlines of a proposed national AI strategy. According to the document, Berlin will seek to strengthen scientific networks in Europe and facilitate the transfer of subject matter expertise while providing more financial aid to AI start-ups.

The ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU) and German Social Democrat (SPD) parties had already vowed to close the gap between Germany and AI technology leaders in their "grand coalition" agreement. Berlin emphasized on Wednesday that the ability of domestic companies to catch-up in the area was crucial to the preservation of German export competitiveness in the future.

The government further stressed that it would strive to provide a regulatory framework which ensured that AI served the interests of society rather than posing a danger to it. Towards this end, a special commission will be established in the federal parliament to assess the opportunities and risks associated with the technology.

As examples of the growing application of AI in Germany, the document pointed to self-driving vehicles, language assistance software, machine learning and medical devices which analyzed x-ray images automatically. A key question posed by the new parliamentary commission will be how to ensure the safety of required for the operation of AI technologies and establish reliable protocols for potentially-sensitive decisions made by machines.

Commenting on the announcement of the national strategy, minister for the economy Peter Altmaier (CDU) highlighted that AI could radically alter how humans lived and worked within the coming decades. "Previous losers of globalization can become winners and vice-versa", Altmaier said.

The CDU politician argued that AI technology hereby offered "great opportunities" to an industrial nation like Germany. He cited an earlier study by the ministry for the economy estimating the gross value-added created by AI in Germany's manufacturing industries at 32 billion euros ($37.2 billion) per year.

At the same time, Altmaier acknowledged that AI was a "source of concern for many citizens" who feared that they could lose their jobs as robotic alternatives became more skilled and efficient. Policymakers would consequently have to take a pro-active stance in directing ongoing structural changes in the labor market in ways which led to the creation of new, better-remunerated and more-rewarding jobs.