Germany aims to increase its public funding for artificial intelligence (AI) research to almost one billion euros in the next two years, in an effort to bridge the skills gap with industry leaders China and the United States. This funding target, announced by research minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger, falls short compared to the $3.3 billion spent by the US government on AI research in 2022. To bolster its AI capabilities, Germany plans to establish 150 new university labs, expand data centers, and make complex public datasets accessible. Private AI spending in the US is significantly higher, reaching $47.4 billion in 2022, while Europe totaled half that amount, and China spent $13.4 billion, according to a Stanford University report. Germany aims to attract AI players through its emerging regulatory framework that prioritizes privacy and personal safety, as well as cooperation within the European Union. The country’s AI startup numbers have increased, but Germany still sits in ninth place globally.