Today, the Bundeskartellamt, Germany's competition authority, held a meeting with selected stakeholders to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and competition law. The event brought together 14 representatives from various companies and associations involved in the AI value chain, including both established firms and startups.

Led by President Andreas Mundt and Vice President Prof. Dr. Konrad Ost, the meeting aimed to address the competitive risks posed by the dominance of large tech companies in the AI sector. Mundt emphasized the potential for smaller competitors to become dependent on major players for access to essential resources like cloud services and data, which could lead to market lock-ins.

The Bundeskartellamt has been actively monitoring competition law issues in the digital sector, particularly as AI technology becomes increasingly significant. The authority noted that while many global competition agencies are observing developments in AI, there have yet to be any notable legal cases.

During the discussions, participants highlighted the challenges faced by competitors of major cloud service providers such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Google, which are crucial for AI development due to their computing power and infrastructure. The group also examined the competitive landscape for foundation models and the potential barriers to market entry created by limited access to data.

Additionally, the dialogue underscored the importance of collaboration between AI developers and cloud service providers, as well as the growing use of AI applications in various industries. The expert group included representatives from notable companies and associations, such as adesso, Bosch, and the German AI Association, along with officials from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.