This year, Germany is spending €1.6 billion on artificial intelligence — more than on almost any other technology. The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space has set aside this sum as part of its AI action plan. Since 2017, the annual budget has increased more than twenty-fold.
According to a survey by the digital association Bitkom, German companies are also keen to invest in AI applications. Around 60% plan to invest at least as much as they did in 2024, while nearly a quarter want to increase their spending on digital tools.
However, digitalisation and sustainability researcher Rainer Rehak from the Weizenbaum Institute warns: “There is currently no business model for AI”.
For big tech companies like Google, Microsoft, or OpenAI, as well as at smaller levels, AI remains an investment game.
“It’s all investment money, they’re spending billions and…
