city München
date 15.02.2025

At the Munich Security Conference, Claudia Plattner discussed with technology experts how the increasing use of AI is affecting democratic public discourse and opinions.

What role does AI play in geopolitical conflicts? How can algorithms influence political debate and elections and to what extent does AI need to be harnessed by regulation? Claudia Plattner, President of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), discussed these and further questions at the Munich Security Conference with Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, European Commission, Kent Walker, President for Global Affairs, Google, Amba Kak, Co-Executive Director, AI Now Institute. The discussion was moderated by Gina Neff, Executive Director of Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy at University of Cambridge.

BSI President Claudia Plattner referred to the relationship of technology and classical political and economic order and emphasized that legal regulation of artificial intelligence must not hinder progress and innovation in this field:

"It is imperative that we identify an effective regulatory framework that will enable us to capitalize on the advancements brought about by AI. Striking a good balance is of the essence for our democracies. Not tapping into technological innovation and fostering the use of technology will result in economic downturns and ultimately serious challenges in the social fabric of our nations. The speed at which we evolve and excel in tech will determine our future.

In this context, we are discussing the emergence of a third dimension, complementing the traditional two: economy and security. The third and new power on the block is technology, and it has a significant impact on the other two. It increases the intersection between the first two by providing a common denominator: Consider AI as an example of a technology which is used in business process improvement and as well in drone control. This underscores the importance of technological expertise and proficiency in the context of both military and economic realm. Any path forward requires a comprehensive understanding of technology and its strategic application."

A recording of the discussion is available here.

On the connections outlined between economy, security and digitalisation, Claudia Plattner has authored a guest article in the daily newspaper 'Rheinische Post' which can be accessed here.

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