The German federal government has announced a sweeping new initiative with the stated goal
of making "Germany and Europe the worldwide leader in the
field of artificial intelligence." In so doing, Germany is
following in the footsteps of Japan, China, and South
Korea, whose governments have adopted ambitious national AI
strategies since the beginning of 2017. The plan, dubbed "AI
Made in Germany," marks the latest salvo in a battle for
global supremacy in the realm of AI and automation, which is
reshaping workplaces and labor markets the world over.
AI Made in Germany follows up on Germany's "Industrie
4.0" strategic initiative, which focused primarily on robotics
and "smart manufacturing." The new German initiative
shifts its focus squarely to the rapidly advancing AI sector while
broadening its scope to include industries other than
manufacturing. Under the plan, the German federal government will
spend more than €3 billion ($3.93 billion) over the next seven
years.
