Wildberger: Digital Minister wants to tax AI sales in Germany

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the job market. Digital Minister Wildberger suggests that the conversion could be financed through a new tax.

Karsten Wildberger: The Digital Minister wants AI to share in the costs. Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa

Berlin. Federal Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger (CDU) advocates taxing sales of artificial intelligence in Germany. In his view, the money should be used to pay for the restructuring of the labor market.

“We have to tax the extremely high sales of this technology, and we can use the money to finance the conversion, that is also my approach,” Wildberger told the Tagesspiegel. “If growth and value creation occurs in this country, taxes must also be paid here.”

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has long been calling for robots and AI to be taxed. He wants to reduce the incentive to replace people with machines. Gates fears that artificial intelligence could lead to massive job losses.

Wildberger also expects that AI will fundamentally change the world of work. In the long term, more employment will be created, but in different jobs than today. According to the minister, retraining and new activities, for example in crafts or nursing, must be financed. This requires growth and openness to other instruments.

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