The German economy can only use the potential of new technologies if they train and develop people together.
Berlin, October 24, 2024. As part of the Microsoft AI Tour in the City Cube Berlin, key players from German business and civil society came together to discuss how Germany can become faster in further training in the field of artificial intelligence.
This surge in innovation requires us to join forces. Citizens and organizations need access to AI tools and the skills to use them and keep pace.”
At the event in Berlin, Heftberger, together with Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella, gave the starting signal for the Alliance for AI competence in Germanywhich has set itself the goal of enabling employees in companies – from industry leaders to small and medium-sized companies – to further educate themselves on the topic of AI and thus use the great economic potential that artificial intelligence promises for Germany.
Germany has to KI-ready become
Qualification in the field of AI is crucial to ensure Germany’s competitiveness and the employability of its employees, said Heftberger. “We can only productively apply and further develop a technology that we understand and use in its basic principles.” In Berlin, she welcomed the commitment of the Federal Association of German Employers’ Associations (BDA), LinkedIn, the educational organization of the Baden-Württemberg economy, Bitkom, the Innovators Club of the German Association of Cities and Municipalities (DStGB), Deutsche Telekom, Schaeffler, Hapag-Lloyd, Talanx, the International University (IU) Group, PwC Germany and Siemens Energy in the Alliance for AI Competence in Germany. They all came together to support Germany KI-ready close.
“The associations and companies are already doing an excellent job in further training in the area of artificial intelligence,” emphasizes Heftberger. “Our goal is to learn from each other and adopt proven recipes for success. Nobody has to reinvent the wheel if innovative partners are available to provide real inspiration.”
AI education resources
A merger of these partners makes it possible to significantly expand the reach of these educational initiatives. In addition to pooling resources and existing expert knowledge, the initiative also makes existing training material available to a broad public. This allows a larger number of learners to be reached and equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge to succeed in the world of AI.
To achieve this, Microsoft supports a variety of educational initiatives and offers its own free content that businesses and learners can use to improve their technical skills and keep pace with rapidly evolving technology. For example, the nationwide AI qualification program “AI for Impact” is intended to demonstrate the potential of artificial intelligence for the common good. The specially launched learning platform and free learning paths help to promote IT skills, especially among people in the public sector and civil society. Microsoft’s new AI-supported learning portal “AI Skills Navigator” is an ideal introduction for those interested in AI at all levels of knowledge. It offers a central platform with learning content tailored to learners’ goals, roles and skills.
About Microsoft
Microsoft Deutschland GmbH, founded in 1983 as a branch of Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, USA), employs over 3,000 people in Germany at seven locations in Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart and Walldorf. Together with our 30,000 partners in Germany, we support companies with innovative solutions for the intelligent cloud and the intelligent edge so that they are successfully positioned for digital transformation and the AI age. In addition, Microsoft is a leading global provider in areas such as productive software solutions, IT security, innovative hardware and development platforms that are also based on open source technology. With our career network LinkedIn, we connect more than 950 million people worldwide and enable a cross-platform gaming experience with Xbox and Game Pass. Microsoft is investing in the expansion of AI infrastructure and cloud capacities as well as in the qualification of skilled workers in Germany. Together with politics, business and science, we participate in a wide range of initiatives and projects so that everyone can participate in the progress of the digital society.
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