In recent years, the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been rapid, especially driven by countries like the United States and China, making AI a focal point of global technological competition. In response, the European Union recently announced a funding plan of up to 200 billion euros to promote development in this field. Despite Germany's strong capabilities in AI research, why has no successful AI company emerged?
Image Source Note: Image generated by AI, image licensed by Midjourney
According to Björn Ommer, a professor of artificial intelligence at the University of Munich, AI is driving the rapid emergence of new business models, but Germany needs to accelerate its progress in this competition. The startup he founded, Black Forest Labs, developed an image generator that has even attracted the attention of American venture capital firms and the social media platform X.
However, Black Forest Labs stands out in the vast foundational model market, which is currently dominated by giants like OpenAI, Google, and China's DeepSeek. Foundational models are neural networks trained through unsupervised learning on massive amounts of data, capable of adapting to various tasks. Another German company, Aleph Alpha, attempted to launch a foundational model but ultimately did not achieve the desired results, leading them to shift towards providing customized AI applications for businesses and government agencies.
Professor Ommer believes that German companies should focus their opportunities outside of foundational models, such as in AI applications for healthcare, customer communication, and specific industrial sectors. Katharina Morik, founder of Delman Technology and the AI Ramal Institute, also stated that although Germany is a leader in research, many talented individuals are lost to the United States due to a lack of long-term contracts, preventing Germany from fully utilizing this talent.
Morik pointed out that German companies are not proactive enough in adopting and investing in AI technology, with many hoping to obtain services at low or even no cost. She emphasized that Germany already has certain advantages in smart manufacturing, distributed, and embedded systems, but if it does not further develop its AI potential, it risks being marginalized in the future.
Although OpenAI recently announced plans to open an office in Munich, Morik expressed concern and called for efforts to retain local talent, allowing German companies and industries to benefit from AI. She believes Europe should continue to develop foundational models to leverage its rich industrial data and enhance the reliability of AI technology.
In this context, Professor Ommer calls for sustained efforts at the national and European levels, emphasizing that while Germany does not need to create a "perfect" AI, continuing to promote foundational model research is crucial, as future limitations on technology acquisition will determine a nation's autonomy.
Key Points:
🌍 Germany has strong capabilities in AI research but lacks successful commercial enterprises.
🚀 Most AI talent is lost to the United States due to temporary contracts, leading to a brain drain.
🏭 Germany has advantages in areas like smart manufacturing, but needs to strengthen the development of AI potential to avoid marginalization.
