Digital sovereignty requires cooperation, not isolation

"German Minister for Digital Affairs Karsten Wildberger emphasizes that Europe's call for digital sovereignty should not be confused with protectionism. According to him, Europe must develop its own digital infrastructure. This is to reduce dependence on American technology companies. That does not mean that cooperation with the United States should be ruled out. In an interview with Reuters, Wildberger explains that Germany and the European Union can no longer be mere spectators or customers in the digital sector, but must play an active role themselves."

"Lagging behind the US Wildberger sees European companies such as Mistral AI, DeepL, and Aleph Alpha as examples of successful innovators. They prove that Europe is capable of developing technological leadership. Nevertheless, he acknowledges that the United States still has a considerable lead, particularly in artificial intelligence. He therefore considers cooperation with American companies to be of great importance for the further development of a European digital economy."

"The minister emphasizes that digital sovereignty does not mean that Europe is closing itself off from the global market. On the contrary, he sees it as a way to create greater freedom of choice, for example, in data storage and the management of digital infrastructure. Companies in Germany and elsewhere in Europe must be able to decide where their data is stored and who is responsible for the technical basis for this."

Europe must pursue digital sovereignty without resorting to protectionism by developing its own digital infrastructure to reduce reliance on American technology companies while preserving transatlantic cooperation. Germany and the European Union must move from customer or spectator roles to active participants in global markets for technology, software, data, and artificial intelligence. European innovators like Mistral AI, DeepL, and Aleph Alpha demonstrate capacity for leadership, though the United States currently retains an AI advantage. Digital sovereignty requires choice over data storage and infrastructure management and a wider supply-chain strategy covering rare-earth extraction, chip design, server production, and cable installation.

Read at Techzine Global