One year ago, on 1 August 2024, the European AI Act came into force – a historic milestone for the global regulation of artificial intelligence. Europe has thus set comprehensive standards.
However, the digital economy in Germany still lacks the necessary orientation. eco – Association of the Internet Industry sees new opportunities for the digital European Single Market in the regulation, but at the same time warns of shortcomings: companies lack concrete standards, legal certainty and a reliable political perspective. The risk: Germany is in danger of missing out on the next wave of AI innovation.
“The AI Act is intended to ensure uniform rules in the European Single Market – but at present, it mainly creates legal uncertainty. This leads to a backlog of innovation and weakens our position in the global AI competition. The suspension of individual requirements should therefore also be openly discussed,” says Oliver Süme, Chair of the Board of eco – Association of the Internet Industry.
Legal framework without direction: companies in limbo
With the AI Act, the EU has created a globally unique comprehensive regulatory framework for AI. Whether this will prove to be a real advantage or an obstacle remains to be seen. However, one year after its entry into force, uncertainty prevails in many companies rather than confidence. According to the latest eco Industry Pulse, 41 percent of IT decision-makers cite the unclear legal situation as the biggest hurdle to AI deployment – ahead of security concerns (40 percent) and a lack of expertise (30 percent).
“The AI Act is in force – but its practical implementation remains unclear. A lack of regulatory responsibilities in Germany, no clear guidelines and a lack of integration with existing law are massively hampering companies' innovative strength,” says Süme.
Digital divide becomes a risk for Germany as a business location
Particularly critical is the fact that the digital divide between eastern and western Germany is widening. While more than 70 percent of companies in the west already use AI, the figure in the east is only around 52 percent.
“This development not only jeopardises digital participation, but also Germany's economic unity,” warns Süme. “AI must not be a locational privilege – it must be usable and accessible to all.”
eco calls for: Accelerate implementation – create standards
In view of the obligations already in place – such as employee training, risk assessment and system classification – eco is calling for concrete and practical steps:
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Uniform standards for AI competence, risk management, conformity assessments and risk taxonomy
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Clear national implementation rules in line with European requirements that create legal and planning certainty and provide companies with fixed points of contact
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Coordinated integration with existing regulations, in particular the GDPR and the DSA
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Monitoring of implementation to identify undesirable developments at an early stage and take corrective action
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Provision of instruments to promote innovation, such as the planned real-world laboratories for AI
eco's conclusion: Regulation is not enough – the ability to act is needed
With the AI Act, the EU has laid the foundation for uniform rules in the European Single Market. However, this ambition stands or falls with its implementation.
“Germany must not be the place where great European ideas fail in national implementation,” said Süme. “What we need now is clarity, commitment and trust in the digital economy to make AI ‘Made in Europe’ a success story.”
All results can be found in the latest eco Industry Pulse.
