German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for less strict EU regulations on industrial artificial intelligence, arguing that current rules are too restrictive for businesses. Speaking at the Hannover Messe trade fair, he said industrial AI should face fewer requirements than consumer applications in order to boost productivity, efficiency, and cost advantages.
Merz said he will push to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and partially exempt industrial AI from existing regulations. This reflects Germany’s goal of catching up in the global competition with the United States and China. The federal government also plans to significantly expand AI infrastructure and quadruple computing capacity by 2030.