Travel to Davos is full of ambivalence.

Technology topics have dominated the program for years.

Various discussion events will focus on whether and if so, how the challenges of the world can be solved through the use of innovative technologies.

Carsten Knop

Editor.

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And of course one, maybe even the answer to the challenges of climate change is innovation.

It may be possible to use artificial intelligence to optimize procedures and processes in business and everyday life in such a way that far less carbon dioxide (CO2) is emitted.

It is possible that quantum computers, which will be an important topic in Davos this year, can also contribute a lot.

It was always like that;

but in the eyes of the public, Davos has always stood and still stands for dealing with the current crisis: What does the American President say?

The Chinese colleague?

The Chancellor?

Or also: The central bank presidents?

Short-term problems come first

And even sometime in the middle of the last decade, in a year when there was no real crisis at all, you could have a conversation in the Davos conference center that says it all about people's attention and interest in long-term problem solving versus answers short-term difficulties.

People were waiting to be admitted, Chancellor Angela Merkel was supposed to speak.

The CEO of one of Germany's largest industrial groups stood in the queue: "Oh hello, you certainly know what she wants to talk about?" "Yes, today the digitization of the economy is a major concern for her."

I thought she would say something to..." "But isn't digitization important to you?" "Yes, yes, of course."

That was a while ago, but the dialogue still describes the mindset of many German managers – and politicians – quite well even a few years later.

A look back to late autumn last year is sufficient, when the federal government simply postponed the introduction of the planned central digitization budget.

"The digitization of Germany is - once again - suspended," wrote the expert commission for research and innovation.

The implementation of the digital strategy, which was only decided in August, lacked the necessary funds and the urgently needed signal to start.

"The already very ambitious obligation in the digital strategy to implement the extensive catalog of goals essentially by the end of the legislature, i.e. by 2025, is therefore irredeemable."

A devastating testimony

The testimonial that the experts in Germany give in the field of digitization is devastating.

In robotics and artificial intelligence, decisive new developments in Germany have been missed.

As an export nation, Germany risks not only losing the international competitiveness of its companies, but increasingly also its technological sovereignty.

Germany lacks the time to postpone digitization even further.