Germany’s federal government opens a two-day Digital Summit in Berlin Monday, placing AI safety, practical applications and Europe’s digital competitiveness at the center of a gathering of officials and technology stakeholders.
The Nov. 2-3 meeting carries the theme “Shaping AI: safe, sovereign, competitive.” Its agenda includes AI strategy and security, practical uses and efforts to develop an AI ecosystem, according to the Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation. The ministry expects digital ministers from Europe and Canada, European Commission officials and representatives of German national and state-level institutions. Business, academic and civil society participants are also expected.
Federal Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger is scheduled to open the summit. He has described its aim as advancing “safe and trustworthy AI.” At an Oct. 30 government press conference, officials said they want stronger safeguards around AI while allowing innovation to continue.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to speak Monday afternoon. His program includes viewing a robot from NEURA Robotics, joining a roundtable with business representatives and holding a joint press conference with Wildberger.
The event follows Berlin’s Summit on European Digital Sovereignty, held Nov. 18, 2025. The government said that gathering aimed to help Europe build a digital future that was independent and secure while encouraging innovation. This year’s summit turns to AI’s development and use within Europe’s broader technology agenda.
Separately, UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said in a guest article for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that he and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius wanted the Cyber-Lighthouse project to take on work involving AI. He described joint testing and development, with use by both countries’ armed forces as a later objective.
The stage program is scheduled to start at 4 a.m. ET Monday (09:00 UTC). It resumes at 3 a.m. ET Tuesday (08:00 UTC), according to the ministry.
