Germany's Digital Minister Warns AI Will End Industry as a Job Machine

Germany's Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger warned on Saturday that artificial intelligence will cause dramatic job losses across the country, declaring that "the time when industry was a job machine is coming to an end." Wildberger, a CDU politician serving as the first-ever Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and State Modernization in Chancellor Friedrich Merz's cabinet, made the remarks in an interview with the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung. The minister did not frame the development as a distant threat but as an immediate structural shift requiring coordinated action from employers, labor organizations, and civil society. His comments signal that the German government is moving toward a more direct public acknowledgment of AI-driven labor displacement as a policy priority. The interview, published Saturday, drew attention across German media outlets including Die Welt and Focus.

Minister calls on unions and employers to act together Wildberger directed his appeal broadly, urging all major societal actors to engage with the transformation rather than resist it. „My appeal therefore goes to all groups; to employers, trade unions and from civil society: We must pull ourselves together and reshape the future.” — Karsten Wildberger via Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung The minister argued that rejection of artificial intelligence is not a viable option, stating the technology cannot be stopped. He emphasized instead that Germany must position itself to capture the economic opportunities AI creates alongside the disruption it causes. Wildberger acknowledged that workers displaced by AI will require new and meaningful occupations, framing reemployment as a societal obligation rather than an individual burden. His call for cross-sector cooperation reflects a broader challenge facing European governments seeking to manage technological change without triggering social instability.

Wildberger sees new jobs emerging alongside the losses Despite his warnings, Wildberger stopped short of a purely pessimistic assessment, stressing that artificial intelligence also generates new categories of employment and economic growth. He described the worst possible response as outright rejection of the technology, arguing that such a stance would leave Germany unable to shape the transition on its own terms. „The worst of all responses would be to say: We reject AI. We cannot stop it, after all. We can and must do everything to ensure that we as a society also benefit from AI.” — Karsten Wildberger via Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung The minister's position reflects a dual-track approach: acknowledging structural pain in traditional industrial employment while advocating for proactive investment in the sectors and skills that AI expansion will require. Web search results indicate Wildberger has also been active in March 2026 on questions of digital sovereignty and European technology alternatives, suggesting a broader strategic framework behind his labor market comments. His ministry, established in May 2025 as a new portfolio within the Merz government, is tasked with coordinating Germany's digital transformation across both public administration and the wider economy.

A new ministry navigating Germany's digital crossroads Germany's manufacturing sector has historically been one of the largest employers in the country, anchoring the economy through automotive, chemical, and engineering industries. The creation of a dedicated Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernization under Chancellor Friedrich Merz in May 2025 marked a structural shift in how Berlin approaches technology governance. Wildberger, born in 1969 in Gießen, came to the role from a background in management consulting and corporate leadership before entering politics with the CDU. The ministry Wildberger leads is the first of its kind in German federal history, reflecting a recognition that digital policy had outgrown its previous home within broader economic or interior ministries. His public statements on AI and employment represent one of the most direct acknowledgments by a senior German official that the labor market consequences of artificial intelligence are not merely theoretical. The Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung interview positions Wildberger as a minister willing to deliver uncomfortable messages to the public rather than soften the outlook. Whether his call for cooperation between employers, unions, and civil society translates into concrete policy proposals remains to be seen from future government announcements.