Jump to navigation Skip to main content Jump to footer

AI in the High-Tech Agenda Germany

Download of the HTAD

Through the High-Tech Agenda Germany (HTAD), the German government is bringing its research and innovation policies together. Artificial intelligence is one of six key technologies and plays a central role in competitiveness and sovereignty. Plattform Lernende Systeme demonstrates what this means in practice.

AI is set to propel Germany and Europe to the forefront of the global stage. The AI Roadmap sets out the strategic priorities the German government has established to achieve this. Download of the HTAD (German)

 

  • Context:
    High-Tech Agenda Germany

  • Objectives of the High-Tech Agenda in the field of AI

  • Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks

  • Key measures and funding instruments

  • Implementation of the AI focus areas

  • AI and other key technologies

The High-Tech Agenda Germany (HTAD) is the German Government’s central strategic framework for research and innovation policy.

The HTAD, adopted in July 2025, sets out the guidelines according to which Germany will shape its technological future. It addresses three key questions:

  1. In which areas should Germany be a technological leader?
  2. How can competitiveness be secured in the long term?
  3. And how can the country maintain its technological sovereignty in key technologies?

Artificial intelligence is one of six key technologies anchored in the HTAD. As a cross-cutting technology, AI permeates almost all sectors, from industrial production and healthcare to mobility and public administration.

The High-Tech Agenda for Germany builds on and further implements the overarching objectives previously set out in the Federal Government’s National AI Strategy.

The HTAD has set itself ambitious goals for AI in the fields of business, technology and society. At the heart of this is a clear objective: By 2030, AI is expected to make a significant contribution to growth, competitiveness and sovereignty. The AI Technology Roadmap sets out these objectives in concrete terms and underpins them with measures, milestones and indicators.

Objective 1:
AI value creation

By 2030, around 10 percent of Germany’s economic output is set to be supported by or directly generated through AI. Germany is set to become a leading centre for the development and application of AI.
Labour productivity is set to increase, and artificial intelligence is set to become an important tool in key areas of research and application.

Objective 2:
AI capabilities

Science, research, business, public administration and society are to be given measurably better access to AI resources such as algorithms, data, computers, software tools and AI chips, so that they can make use of them. To this purpose, for instance, one of the European AI gigafactories is to be established in Germany.

Objective 3:
AI innovation

Germany is set to become a key player in the next generation of AI and in global competition. Therefore, plans include strengthening and linking leading AI research centres and launching funding programmes.

Objective 4:
AI in healthcare

AI is set to bring about a noticeable improvement in healthcare in Germany – from prevention through diagnosis and treatment to aftercare. By 2030, AI applications are expected to be widely adopted in key areas of healthcare, such as medical imaging and personalised medicine. At the same time, high standards are to be upheld in data protection, patient safety and quality assurance.

Table presenting the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks in English

The HTAD bundles measures aimed at bringing AI from research into practical application. To achieve its objectives in the field of AI, the High-Tech Agenda combines a broad range of measures and funding instruments, ranging from the development of new AI models to support for start-ups.

Key priorities include:

Next-generation AI models

Research networks are developing high-performance AI models tailored to European requirements that drive research forward, for example in the areas of data protection, security and energy efficiency.

The focus is on secure, explainable and resource-efficient systems, which are being developed and tested in European Frontier AI Labs and at national centres of excellence in AI, amongst other places.

Data and
computing infrastructure

National data centres and cloud capacities are being expanded and made more accessible as part of the High-Tech Agenda Germany. This includes the establishment of a European AI gigafactory in Germany, as well as a data centre strategy featuring significantly expanded AI capacities.

Legal frameworks such as the Research Data Act and accompanying initiatives on health and research data are intended to help ensure that data is shared responsibly and used for the development and application of AI.

Cooperation and transfer

The HTAD supports collaborative projects between universities, non-university research institutes, start-ups, businesses and public sector organisations. Funding is provided for technology transfer projects and AI pilot applications, particularly in key sectors.

The AI Technology Roadmap gives concrete form to this priority through measures such as flagship transfer projects, real-world laboratories and thematic programmes, for example in the fields of industrial AI or robotics.

Support for SMEs

The AI Technology Roadmap sets a target that by 2030, around 50 per cent of companies in the manufacturing sector will be using AI in their core processes. Consultancy services, real-world laboratories and application-oriented transfer programmes for small and medium-sized enterprises will be systematically expanded.

Start-up and
technology
transfer support

Start-ups from research will be given a helping hand, and funding opportunities for AI and deep tech start-ups will be expanded.

This encompasses both specific programmes under the German High-Tech Agenda and the initiatives set out in the AI Technology Roadmap, such as AI NATION and start-up-focused real-world laboratories. The aim is to create better framework conditions for the financing, growth and scaling of a significantly larger AI start-up ecosystem.

A roadmapping process was carried out from autumn 2025 to May 2026 to help achieve the AI objectives of the High-Tech Agenda for Germany (HTAD). On this basis, the AI Technology Roadmap was drawn up, which specifies and further develops the HTAD’s priorities in the field of AI and supplements them with additional measures. In collaboration with stakeholders from academia, industry, politics, the federal states and civil society, milestones, timetables and indicators were defined for this purpose, which are regularly reviewed and adjusted where necessary.

At the same time, an accompanying monitoring system is being established to track the progress and impact of the measures set out in the AI roadmap. These include the AI Act as a binding European regulatory framework, the promotion of AI specialists across all stages of the innovation chain, and stronger European and global networking.

AI is not an isolated field, but is closely linked to other key technologies (quantum technologies, microelectronics, biotechnology, fusion and climate-neutral energy generation, and technologies for climate-neutral mobility). The High-Tech Agenda consistently views AI as a cross-cutting technology. The AI Technology Roadmap builds on this approach and outlines how AI enhances other key technologies whilst also benefiting from these advances.

In particular, developments in microelectronics, quantum technologies and the energy sector, are opening up new AI applications and enhancing their performance, security and efficiency. At the same time, AI is driving the development of these and other technologies, for example through automated analysis, pattern recognition or simulations.

Some examples:

Microelectronics

AI requires specialised hardware, energy-efficient chips and high-performance computers. European chip initiatives are laying the foundations for sovereign, scalable AI models, whilst in turn, AI optimises the design and manufacture of semiconductors.

Quantum technologies

Quantum computers can significantly speed up certain AI calculations. On the other hand, AI supports quantum research, for example in simulations and optimisation tasks. Together, they give rise to new applications, for example in materials research, logistics or cryptography.

Biotechnology and health

AI is central to personalised medicine, diagnostics, drug development and the analysis of large biomedical datasets. Advances in biotechnology provide the data basis; AI reveals complex patterns and supports clinical decision-making.

Climate-neutral energy & mobility

In the energy sector, AI helps to optimise grids, storage and consumption. In mobility, AI drives automated driving, traffic control and logistics. AI enables the intelligent control of complex energy and transport systems.

Aerospace

AI is used for autonomous navigation, image analysis and mission planning. Space exploration provides high-quality remote sensing data, which AI systems analyse for climate, environmental and security research.