Klingbeil, who also serves as the vice chancellor, emphasized the significance of the new data center in enhancing digital sovereignty and fostering innovation among German companies. The involvement of SAP in providing platforms and applications underscores the commitment of major German corporations towards developing a robust AI ecosystem to compete with global counterparts like the US and China.
Deutsche Telekom’s CEO, Tim Höttges, expressed confidence in Europe’s AI capabilities, stating that the Munich site will significantly increase Germany’s AI computing power. This initiative aligns with European business leaders’ call to capitalize on manufacturing strengths and differentiate from consumer-focused technology competition in the US and China.
The data center will facilitate the hosting and integration of AI models with industrial data sources, accelerating technology adoption across various industries. Despite the substantial investment, it highlights the disparity in AI computing capacity between Europe and the US, where tech giants and startups are investing heavily in building advanced AI infrastructure.