Yesterday, more than 6,000 visitors turned Cologne's Rheinauhafen into a future lab for digitalization and artificial intelligence. Guests from politics, civil society, and the tech and digital industries experienced a day of debates, innovation, and conversation. Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges warned of a "skepticism bubble" around artificial intelligence, while North Rhine-Westphalia Minister-President Hendrik Wüst called out, "Keep your chin up, Germany. Don't let yourselves be intimidated." Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel encouraged everyone to embrace the opportunities AI offers for medicine, education, and everyday life.
For your ongoing coverage, we are providing materials in five concise thematic dossiers. They include data, quotes, real-world examples, additional sources, and contacts addressing five key questions: How can AI create economic value? How autonomously should AI agents be allowed to act? What infrastructure does Europe need? How can cyber risks be managed? And how much control must people retain? We are happy to connect you with interview partners or provide real-world examples upon request.
Historian and bestselling author Yuval Noah Harari has warned of the far-reaching impact of rapid advances in artificial intelligence. AI is no longer just a tool but is becoming an autonomous actor, Harari said Tuesday evening at Digital X in Cologne. “Millions of AIs, millions of AI bureaucrats, will increasingly make decisions about our lives,” he said.
In our new media briefing on Digital X, we are bringing together key perspectives, figures, and background information for the first time to explore how AI agents are changing the economy, society, and businesses. Read what Richard David Precht, Angela Merkel, and Yuval Noah Harari have to say, and how Deutsche Telekom is putting responsibility, control, and security into practice: Download the full document here.
According to the German Economic Institute, generative AI could unlock up to 330 billion euros in additional gross value added for Germany’s industry. Digital X made one thing clear: For Europe to realize this potential, it needs control over data, processes, and technologies. „Digital sovereignty does not mean “German-ness,” but rather: control over data, processes, and the use of technologies. We must regain control of this.“, says Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges.
For the first time, our media briefing on digital sovereignty brings together the key voices, figures, and background information on how Europe can manage technological dependencies and safeguard its ability to act digitally. Learn what Tim Höttges, Hendrik Wüst, and Roland Busch are calling for, and why sovereignty does not mean self-sufficiency, but rather control, freedom of choice, and secure alternatives: Download the full document here.
Cyberattacks are becoming more automated, and geopolitical conflicts have long been playing out in the digital sphere as well. According to security experts, artificial intelligence makes cyberattacks on companies significantly easier. At Digital X, Dr. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Member of the European Parliament, put it succinctly: "For all the enthusiasm around AI, it helps to use your own intelligence. That is why it is important to take cybersecurity seriously. Because efforts are being made at this level, too, to divide our society."
In our new cybersecurity media briefing, we bring together key perspectives, figures, and practical examples on the growing threat of cyberattacks for the first time. Thomas Tschersich, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Thomas Köhler, and Elke Anderl explain why small and medium-sized businesses in particular are under pressure and why cyber defense is becoming an executive priority: Download the full document here.
AI is leaving the screen, acting independently, and moving into networks. Rodrigo Diehl, member of Telekom’s Board of Management, predicts: “Over the next three years, we will experience an iPhone moment that will define the next 20 years.” Germany’s opportunity lies in its own data, process expertise, and understanding of customers. AI’s real potential will emerge only when individual tools become automated workflows and entirely new business models.
In our media briefing on AI agents, we present a meta-study by Telekom MMS that shows what determines AI’s economic success: suitable processes, high-quality data, and clear governance. Tim Höttges, Rodrigo Diehl, and Roman Howe from Anthropic share their perspectives on how companies can move from individual AI tools to productive, controlled agent-based processes: Download the full document here.
Deutsche Telekom continues to expand its Industrial AI Cloud in Munich. “There is real demand. That is why we are, of course, continuing to expand it now,” said T-Digital head Maximilian Ahrens at DIGITAL X in Cologne. In addition, Telekom plans to tailor its various cloud offerings even more closely to the needs of mid-sized businesses in the future.
In our cloud media briefing, we bring together the most important perspectives, figures, and practical examples for the first time. We also show why companies will need to make more informed decisions in the future about where their workloads are best placed for AI and other applications. Ferri Abolhassan, Verena Pausder, and Lars Neumann explain how costs, performance, security, and sovereignty can be balanced: Read the full document here.
“This day has exceeded all expectations. More than 6,000 people, packed stages, engaging conversations, and great energy throughout Rheinauhafen. This is an impressive success,” says Klaus Werner, patron of Digital X and Managing Director of Telekom Deutschland. “I am especially pleased when attendees go home with inspiration and concrete ideas and begin using AI and digitalization for themselves today. That is exactly how we measure the success of Digital X.”
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