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AI Watch

Germany: Public Sector dimension of AI Strategy

Introduction

This page reports a synthesis of the main elements that characterise the national AI strategy with a specific focus on the public sector. It extracts the information related to a single country from a comparative analysis done by the AI Watch team and reported in full in the science for policy report “AI Watch. European Landscape on the Use of Artificial Intelligence by the Public Sector”.

Main highlights

  • AI offers a lot of potential for German public administrations to make services more targeted, tailored and accessible to citizens
  • Opening of public sector data is regarded as one of the key instruments to stimulate AI in government
  • Government data will be open by default (unless specific exceptions apply). 
  • Funding will be made available for data management at all federal public authorities

Strategy analysis

Learning by doing

  • Regulatory sandboxes
  • Pilot projects

Stimulating awareness and knowledge sharing

  • Awareness campaigns

  • Building an international community

Ethical and legal framework

  • Development of ethical frameworks

Improving data access and quality

  • Improving data quality

  • Improving data access

Funding and procurement

  • Funding for AI projects

  • Revision of procurement processes

Improving internal capacity

  • Training on AI

  • New public bodies

Comment

The opening of public sector data is highly stimulated. The current 2nd Open Data Act (in force since 2021) provides a normative basis for the publication of open public data “by default”, unless specific exceptions apply. (e.g. personal or security-related data), moreover the Federal Government is willing to establish an open data platform.

On funding and procurement, start-ups and SMEs providing AI solutions will be supported by giving them greater consideration to in public contracts.

Additionally, the government will set up an Application Lab for AI and Big Data to develop data-based applications and to strengthen the cooperation between the Federal and Länder administrations. 

A “Network AI in Labour and Social Administration” develops self-committing guidelines to ensure a responsible implementation of AI.

To build networking and awareness, the Civic Innovation Platform connects stakeholders in order to publish their ideas and find partners for AI related projects from civil society, the public, academic and private sectors. The platform also offers financial and non-material support.

Lastly, the strategy mentions the importance of ethical standards, to ensure non-discrimination, transparency, compliance with existing rules on data protection and cybersecurity and to ensure citizen’s trust and confidence.

General Information

Title

Artificial Intelligence Strategy

Data of release

Nov 2018 (Updated Dec 2020)

 

Specific actions to public sector

Objective 1: AI Adoption in PA (‘Security and performance of communication and information systems in public administration’)

Objective 2: Creation of a Regulatory Framework (‘for AI actors in science and research, at businesses and start-ups, as well as for the general public and public administration’)