Change at a snail’s pace
At the same time, the pace of this change is too slow compared to the innovation cycle, as the study makers emphasize: Currently, less than one in three participants (28 percent) has only reached the middle stage of AI introduction. Companies have already integrated AI into several business areas and are thus achieving increased efficiency and more innovative customer experiences.
In order to keep up, German companies would have to have already reached the transformative level – but so far, according to the study, this only applies to around 15 percent. In this stage, companies use advanced AI systems, combine multiple models, develop individual AI systems or use agentic or autonomous AI.
Another problem that the study organizers identified is the lack of preparation for the next wave of AI: 16 percent said they were not familiar with physical AI, i.e. AI systems that are built into manufacturing systems, for example. Additionally, less than a quarter (22 percent) have heard of agent-assisted AI. Of those familiar with the technology, only 1 percent report having fully adopted agentic AI, while 12 percent are experimenting or piloting the technology.
The participants answer why there is no progress in advanced AI in Germany with a variety of obstacles, especially:
- Lack of skills (37 percent),
- lack of internal financial resources (31 percent),
- legal uncertainty caused by AI and digital regulation (25 percent), and
- regulatory complexity in cross-border business (21 percent).
What does Germany’s AI future look like?
From the perspective of the study operators, Germany has a clear opportunity to build on its strong foundations and translate increasing AI adoption into a broad-based economic transformation. To do this, companies would have to scale the local industrial base, the expertise of its engineers and German cloud maturity and spread it across all industries.
If this succeeds, Germany could not only keep up globally, but even lead the next wave of AI. However, if hurdles are not removed and companies do not take action quickly, the gap between those who relied on AI early and successfully and those who fail to do so will continue to grow, experts warn. The result: a two-tier economy, consisting of those who can keep up and those who are permanently left behind.
