Germany’s digital reputation is worse than reality, Federal Digital Minister Volker Vissing (FDP) said at the start of the federal government’s digital summit in Frankfurt am Main. Although he sees the need for improvement, the situation is not that bad. However, now is the time to switch from parallel solutions to digital-only solutions. This is important for efficiency reasons, but also to generate data: “Without constantly generating data, we will not be able to exploit the possibilities.”
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AI can then be based on data and insights can be derived. Vissing cited the Deutschlandticket as an example of this. The Mobility Data Act, which is currently being discussed in the Bundestag, will adopt an open data approach that has become law. But everything always has to be kept anonymous, which he clearly wants to emphasize, Vissing says, because he doesn’t want to get the next Big Brother prize.
Digital Summit: “Recalibrating” data protection and data use.Federal Economics Minister Robert Habach (Greens) also wants more data. To strengthen Europe digitally, it is essential that the German interpretation of data protection be reconsidered – especially given the diversity of supervision with a total of 18 supervisory authorities. What was right 20 years ago won’t necessarily be the same in 20 years: “Data security is not about protecting the data,” Habeck said.
Data is good for AI development
For the Minister of Economic Affairs, it is also about Europe’s sovereignty. He also sees data as good for AI development. It is true that Google and ChatGPT have great advantages in language processing, but he sees great opportunities for the EU in machine data and other uses, but Germany alone is very small as a data space.
Despite some recent setbacks, Hebek wants to continue setting up chip production in Europe. “The people come from Southeast Asia, especially Taiwan and South Korea,” the Green Party nominee for chancellor said. These are not the safest places for reliable delivery of semiconductors.
“Trusted applications need regulation”
It is about ensuring that Europe can continue to implement its ideas in the future. This also applies to regulation: “If TikTok is more strictly regulated in China than in Europe, that should give us something to think about,” Habach said from the point of view of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Also said. This is a way to tie Elon Musk to European values.
However, his Cabinet colleague Vissing pointed out that regulation is needed to generate trustworthy applications. However, regulation that increases legal requirements to such an extent that innovation is only possible with expensive legal advice would be problematic and should be avoided.
digital summit This year it is taking place in Frankfurt with around 1,500 participants. Several cabinet members, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz, speak during the meeting. The series of events, which began as an IT summit in 2006, is held each year at various locations in Germany.
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