On March 22, 2022, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) in Kaiserslautern. Prof. Andreas Dengel gave him a tour of the institute’s work at the SmartFactory facility.
“I am very grateful to be here and very impressed,” said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after his visit to the DFKI in Kaiserslautern. He noted that it is “important to know that Germany is among the leading countries in the field of artificial intelligence” when it comes to scientific expertise and technological competence in AI. Accompanied by Minister President Malu Dreyer and Minister of Science Clemens Hoch, he was given a tour of the innovative facilities at SmartFactory-KL by DFKI CEO Prof. Antonio Krüger and Site Director Prof. Andreas Dengel, who provided insights into selected projects and examples of the institute’s technology transfer activities. He highlighted the DFKI’s track record in technology transfer, citing the many spin-off startups and numerous industry partners that draw on the DFKI’s expertise. In summary, he remarked: “An impressive visit and a great opportunity to gain insights—and to feel a little pride, because this is right here in our state.”
Prof. Dr. Andreas Dengel, Executive Director of the DFKI in Kaiserslautern and AI Ambassador for the State of Rhineland-Palatinate: “The sustainable transfer of research results is the foundation for integrating beneficial technologies into society. Successful transfer is not a one-way street; rather, it thrives on close collaboration and a vibrant ecosystem of research and application. Today, using selected practical examples, we were able to demonstrate how artificial intelligence can also improve people’s cognitive work and how AI can help us better address major societal challenges such as a pandemic and climate change. The visit by the Federal Chancellor, the Minister-President, and the Minister underscores the relevance of AI research. We view this as a great recognition of the research and knowledge transfer achievements of our employees, not only at the Kaiserslautern campus but throughout the entire DFKI.”