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AI-GENERATEDRed tape now outranks energy and labor costs as the top concern for German companies.

Half of German companies name bureaucracy as their biggest location problem.

The ifo Business Survey finds that 50 percent of German companies cite bureaucracy and regulation as their biggest location problem, ahead of energy costs at 27 percent and labor costs at 22 percent. The findings are based on 4,449 open-text responses collected in July 2026.

ExecutiveHR

RegulationSeptember 21, 2026ifo Institut

AI-GENERATEDProduct safety becomes a reporting duty as makers of digital products must now actively report incidents.

The Cyber Resilience Act now requires makers of digital products to report vulnerabilities starting September 11.

Since September 11, 2026, makers of products with digital elements must report actively exploited vulnerabilities and severe security incidents through the EU platform CRA-SRP. Germany's federal cyber agency BSI acts as the national contact point and offers guidance for compliance.

Executive

RegulationSeptember 11, 2026BSI Meldungen

AI-GENERATEDEconomists push for fast action so Europe does not end up permanently dependent on a handful of providers.

Leading European economists warn that Europe risks lasting dependence on a few foreign AI providers.

A group led by Nobel laureate Philippe Aghion and former EU commissioner Margrethe Vestager published a strategy on September 14. It warns that European model developers together earn less than 2 percent of the revenue of just two US rivals, and calls for decisive action this year.

Executive

RegulationSeptember 14, 2026ifo Pressemitteilungen

AI-GENERATEDFewer firms plan price hikes, but energy costs could reverse that.

The ifo price expectations index fell to 21.2 points in August.

The ifo price expectations index dropped from 21.6 to 21.2 points in August. Energy-intensive manufacturers cut their pricing plans sharply, while service providers raised their price expectations slightly.

ExecutiveSales

Markets & CapitalSeptember 1, 2026ifo Institut

AI-GENERATEDForeign demand and state spending outweigh the energy price shock.

The ifo Institute has raised its 2026 growth forecast for Germany to 1.4 percent.

The ifo Institute now expects German GDP to grow 1.4 percent in 2026, 1.2 percent in 2027 and 0.8 percent in 2028. Stronger foreign demand and higher state spending on infrastructure, climate and defense drive the upgrade.

ExecutiveSales

Markets & CapitalSeptember 3, 2026ifo Institut

State funding builds infrastructure for AI-assisted drug development in Bonn.

North Rhine-Westphalia is funding AI-assisted cancer research in Bonn with 25 million euros.

University Hospital Bonn, the University of Bonn and the Lamarr Institute are building a joint infrastructure for AI-assisted drug development with 25 million euros in state funding. The site is part of the 200 million euro AI4CancerCure.NRW network involving seven university hospitals and TU Dortmund.

Executive

InfrastructureSeptember 4, 2026Lamarr-Institut

AI-GENERATEDState politics positions North Rhine-Westphalia as a hub for artificial intelligence.

Hendrik Wuest calls artificial intelligence the next driver of prosperity for North Rhine-Westphalia.

Marking the 80th anniversary of North Rhine-Westphalia, Minister President Hendrik Wuest named artificial intelligence the next major driver of prosperity. He spoke with the Lamarr Institute during the AI26 conference in Bonn about research transfer and value creation in the state.

Executive

RegulationAugust 28, 2026Lamarr-Institut

AI-GENERATEDThe share of investment going to climate protection barely moves, despite rising need.

German firms plan to spend about 10.6 percent of investment on climate protection in 2026.

An ifo survey finds German companies spent 9.3 percent of investment on in-house climate protection in 2025, with 10.6 percent planned for 2026 and 10.5 percent for 2027. Service firms plan the highest share at 12.2 percent, retailers the lowest at 8.5 percent.

Executive

CompaniesAugust 31, 2026ifo Institut

AI-GENERATEDFewer planned layoffs, but no clear hiring growth yet

The ifo Employment Barometer rose to 94.8 points in August 2026, the highest level since May 2025.

The ifo Institute reports the Employment Barometer climbed to 94.8 points in August 2026, up from 93.0 in July. Companies plan fewer job cuts, though overall employment is still declining.

ExecutiveHR

Work & CostAugust 27, 2026ifo Institut

AI-GENERATEDFirst contact now happens inside the answer, not the results list

ChatGPT sends markedly more visitors to B2B websites – from a still small base

A Demandbase analysis counts referrals from ChatGPT to tracked B2B websites rising from around 645,000 in June 2025 to 2.6 million in June 2026. The share of total web traffic remains small.

MarketingSales

Markets & CapitalAugust 17, 2026MEEDIA

AI-GENERATEDCompute capacity becomes a network operator's business line

Deutsche Telekom weighs taking part in a ten billion euro AI gigafactory

Chief executive Tim Höttges describes participation in the European tender as an option. Operationally, adjusted EBITDA after leases rose to 11.82 billion euros in the second quarter and the full-year guidance stands.

Executive

InfrastructureAugust 16, 2026IT BOLTWISE

AI-GENERATEDThe AI Act shifts from a legal question to an implementation project

The AI world congress in Bremen puts safe agents and AI Act practice centre stage

The IJCAI-ECAI 2026 conference returns to Germany for the first time in 43 years. On 19 August a representative of the EU AI Office sets out the requirements; an expert panel covers AI agents in public services.

Executive

RegulationAugust 16, 2026IT BOLTWISE

AI-GENERATEDOne forecast, two readings

Industry veteran disputes the forecast that AI will cost three in four media planners their jobs by 2028

In a guest column, Thomas Koch places the Gartner forecast that AI will take over most operational media planning by 2028 in context. Despite the expected upheaval his conclusion is largely optimistic.

MarketingHR

Work & CostAugust 14, 2026MEEDIA

AI-GENERATEDThe uniform look is not chance but arithmetic

AI images become distinctive through iteration, not through the perfect prompt

Generative image models deliver appealing visuals quickly but tend towards the middle because they work on probabilities. Practitioners recommend an iterative process using reference images and several tools.

Marketing

Models & TechnologyAugust 14, 2026MEEDIA

A large group builds a market product, not an internal tool

Vonovia backs Berlin startup Immoly in building an AI platform for property management

The product is aimed explicitly at external market participants – private and semi-institutional landlords and smaller managing agents – rather than at the group's own IT. A venture studio programme supports the venture.

ExecutiveSales

CompaniesAugust 13, 2026IT BOLTWISE

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The United States sets the pace, Germany sets the frame. The other markets follow by actual AI activity.