Agentic AI is coming into focus as a catalyst for transforming core business activities. The coordinated interaction of specialised AI agents for complex tasks is seen by many as a potential game changer: more than 60 percent of respondents rate this potential as ‘high’ or ‘very high’.
Optimism comes up against legal and knowledge gaps
However, as usage grows, so too does the need for governance and sovereignty. While cultural barriers such as reservations or low acceptance among staff hardly play a role in the introduction of GenAI, legal uncertainties, data protection concerns, and a lack of AI expertise continue to cause reluctance. Additionally, nearly one-third of executives report the presence of ‘shadow AI’ – that is, the unplanned or unauthorised use of GenAI outside of defined frameworks. Nevertheless, businesses are determined not to be held back by this, and intend to actively capitalise on the opportunities offered by the technology: 70 percent of companies are planning to increase their AI budgets in the next twelve months.
Following the technological hype of the first three years, another aspect is now starting to enter the consciousness of business leaders: an AI strategy used as part of an overarching IT and digitalisation strategy must also take digital sovereignty into account. This is particularly evident with regard to Europe’s strategic role: 63 percent of managers are in favour of a ‘make strategy’ – in other words, Europe should develop its own competitive AI base models, rather than relying solely on refining non-European ones.
Digital Sovereignty Index highlights structural risks of GenAI
The desire for technological independence is also reflected in the results of the Digital Sovereignty Index (IDS), developed by adesso and the Handelsblatt Research Institute. A related in-depth report on AI sheds light on the structural challenges that have arisen with the rapid adoption of GenAI. According to the report, GenAI currently represents the largest sovereignty gap in many organisations’ entire technology stack – the analysis refers to it as the sector’s ‘problem child’. One key finding is that 27 percent of the decision-makers surveyed state that their company pays little attention to AI sovereignty. In the public sector, this figure climbs to nearly half of all organisations.
At the same time, many organisations are heavily dependent on only a handful of predominantly non-European AI providers. It’s also often the case that the public sector lacks the necessary expertise to independently develop AI applications further. While around 83 percent of private sector organisations are able to do this, the figure for the public sector is just 62 percent. This increases lock-in risks and reduces future freedom of action.
The results of the Digital Sovereignty Index underscore this point: it is precisely with GenAI – the most important technology for the future – that Germany is falling behind on issues of digital sovereignty.
Benedikt Bonnmann: “Now, good cooperation between businesses and policymakers is essential. We need a framework that focuses less on regulation and more on improving the investment climate. This will benefit both the companies using GenAI and Europe as it develops its own solutions.”
