The German Bundestag today decided to establish a Commission of Inquiry for Artificial Intelligence. The commission of experts is, by 2020, to clarify ethical questions regarding Artificial Intelligence; the German federal government also wants to adopt an AI Strategy in the near future.
“With this decision, the federal coalition has recognized the status of AI as an innovation-relevant topic, and is at the same time offering a forum for discussion on the ethical issues involved in digitalization. The potential of AI for the lives of people, for the development of our prosperity, and for society as a whole are topics which must be dealt with in the commission. We welcome the decision and hope that the new Commission of Inquiry recognizes in particular the opportunities and potential of this technological innovation, which will in the first place future-proof Germany, and become a key economic sector,” says Oliver Süme, Chair of the eco Board.
In the coalition contract, the CDU, CSU, and SPD had already emphasized the importance of AI, and announced steps to subsidize research in this area. “We want to make Germany one of the leading locations in the world for research into Artificial Intelligence,” was the ambitious goal.
“We’re already running late. For this key technology, the goal must be to develop Germany‘s ‘core competency’, in order to be able to participate on an equal footing at the international level in the area of Artificial Intelligence. The Commission of Inquiry must now seize the opportunity of open dialog: The sails need to be set quickly and initial milestones need to be reached during the current legislative term,” Süme continues.
According to the Bundestag decision, the Commission of Inquiry is to be a place where politicians, together with experts, can take up one of the central debates about the future of AI as part of our digital society, and where concrete proposals are developed for the political decision-makers. In this way, it will provide new stimulus for the use of AI in Germany. The commission, on the basis of the results of its inquiry, is to designate the need for state action at the national, European and international levels.
eco is aware of the responsibility of the Internet industry in the course of advancing digitalization and sees the development of proposals for solutions that protect consumers, and at the same time do not endanger innovative business models, as an important task that the association wants involve itself in with constructive concepts. eco points to the universal importance of the debate for the future of the entire German economy and calls for support for the required foundations:
“Digital transformation is affecting all economic areas, from small business through to large international corporations. In order to ensure Germany‘s digital capabilities, there is a need, among other things, for a strong data center infrastructure in Germany. Such an infrastructure, in interplay with key software technologies, offers the basis for innovative, secure, and trustworthy applications of Artificial Intelligence. Companies also urgently need qualified and well-educated specialists – this is not only the case for the Internet industry, but for all industry areas,” according to Süme.
