For decades, the logic of telecommunications was almost uncontested. Faster was better. More bandwidth meant progress. Shannon’s Law framed intelligence as an engineering problem: how efficiently can information be transmitted from point A to point B?
Society & Leadership
Society and leadership shape how institutions, organisations and communities respond to technological change, economic transformation and the challenges of an evolving global landscape.
Europe stands at a crossroads. AI, digital infrastructure, chip sovereignty and the shifting alliances of geopolitics are no longer distant considerations—they shape economies, influence global power and redefine opportunity. Yet political discourse often struggles to match the pace of change. Headlines react, rhetoric reassures, but strategic clarity is elusive.
Social media has evolved from a platform for personal exchange into a central arena of public life, where digital footprints now serve as tools for state oversight. Governments worldwide increasingly treat posts, likes and messages as sources of intelligence. What begins as access to data can, depending on the system, remain a regulated investigative tool or transform into an instrument of control.
When Peter Wennink stepped down as CEO of ASML in April 2024, he left behind a legacy that transcended the semiconductor industry. Under his stewardship, ASML not only became Europe’s most valuable technology company but also a pivotal player in the geopolitical tug-of-war between the United States and China.
Germany’s AI ecosystem is anchored in its universities—technical institutes, research clusters and applied science centers that have produced decades of engineering excellence. Yet as AI becomes increasingly commercial, these institutions face a structural challenge: how to preserve scientific depth while accelerating translation into market-ready technologies. Universities remain strong in fundamental research, but Germany now confronts a global race in which agility, speed and capital often outweigh legacy and tradition.
