The federal government is strengthening AI funding with an additional 500 million euros
31.05.2019 14:15
The federal government has decided to invest an additional half a billion euros in measures to promote AI in 2019. The focus is on the areas of research, transfer, social dialogue, technology assessment, qualification and data availability. The federal government is thus intensifying the implementation of the artificial intelligence strategy and placing particular emphasis on the transfer of research into practice and social dialogue.
Federal Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek: “We want to remain at the forefront of the world with ‘AI made in Germany’. By expanding our competence centers for AI research, we will make the excellent AI research in Germany even more internationally competitive and network them with industry and business. We rely on the best minds at home and abroad. Together with the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, we will attract world-renowned scientists to Germany. We want the research results to quickly benefit people in Germany. That’s why we’re making targeted investments in important application areas such as autonomous driving and life sciences.”
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier: “When it comes to AI, we have to move from research to application more quickly. It is crucial that small and medium-sized companies in particular actually use and apply artificial intelligence. I am therefore pleased that almost half of the additional AI funding will flow into this transfer from research to practice. With the AI innovation competition and specifically selected AI trainers in the medium-sized businesses 4.0 competence centers, the Federal Ministry of Economics is promoting local application. This strengthens the competitiveness of our economy.”
Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Hubertus Heil: “The success of artificial intelligence depends on people’s trust and whether they recognize the advantages of this technology. We are therefore committed to ensuring that AI is used in a human-centered way. To do this, in addition to a regulatory framework, we need a broad social dialogue: we will therefore set up a German AI observatory to examine the consequences of AI and its effects on work and society, and promote the development of AI oriented towards the common good with the Future Fund model project.”
According to the federal government, around EUR 230 million of the AI funds will be invested in measures for the transfer of artificial intelligence into applications. Over EUR 190 million flows into research and the promotion of young scientists. Around EUR 55 million would be used for measures in the areas of social dialogue and participation, technology assessment and regulatory framework, as well as to promote company qualification measures.
This first tranche will also invest in improving data availability. Cross-sectoral and sector-specific measures in the areas of mobility, health, environment and climate, administration, aviation and agriculture are to be promoted. The basis is a common concept for the use of additional funds from the 2019 federal budget, as the federal government announced. According to the federal government's key parameters decision, a further 500 million euros are to be made available in the 2020 budget to promote artificial intelligence.