Comment: The Nvidia boss is right – Germany still has an AI chance

The head of the most valuable company in the world is touring Europe. The CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, uses clear words. “Frankly, nothing hurts me more than seeing one of the most technologically advanced countries fall so far behind in technology,” he says of Germany. The problem is not the criticism. The problem is: he's right.

Huang, of course, speaks from his own interest: He wants to sell chips and conclude an AI pact with Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). In the end, he is the head of a company with a market capitalization of around $4.6 trillion. That doesn't mean his statements are wrong.

“Germany has so many incredible talents,” explained Huang. “Just get to work.” In doing so, he gets to the heart of a core problem. The Federal Republic has many opportunities and good conditions.

In the last winter semester, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) counted 753,000 engineering students. 137 billion euros were spent on research and development in 2024 - almost four percent more than in the previous year. At 3.17 percent of gross domestic product, the share has never been as high as it is today, according to Destatis.