The federal government has implemented a new AI office to accompany and guarantee the implementation of the national AI strategy; standardisation organisations DIN and DKE are jointly responsible for its organization

“Technical norms and standards facilitate economic processes, can enfold court-proof presumption effects related to quality and foster the transfer of technology,” states the national AI strategy. According to the document, standardisation therefore plays a key part in developing and strengthening Germany’s role as a competitive, international location for artificial intelligence. To sustainably implement the targets defined in the paper, the federal government established the AI office in early August. The office is organised by DIN, the German Institute for Standardisation, and DKE, the German Commission for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies, and is part of DIN.

Core responsibilities of the new AI office

• The AI office acts as the first point of contact for matters concerning AI standardisation in Germany.
   
• As a service provider, it supports the coordination group for AI standardisation and AI conformity, which was also initiated by the federal government. Here, the main focus is on highlighting innovative political and technological developments and/or initiatives in Germany, Europe and throughout the world as well as accompanying cooperation and networking activities to strengthen cooperation in the field of AI. National initiatives in particular will be pooled to create an alignment and strategy that is in line with international developments.
   
• The AI office will also provide a platform to pool and channel ideas and suggestions provided by experts from the fields of industry, science, the public sector and civil society, in close cooperation with the coordination group and the competent federal ministries: the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi); the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF); and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS).
   
• One focal point is the implementation of the Standardisation Roadmap AI and the transfer of its recommendations to standardisation activities.
   
• The AI office will accompany and coordinate flagship projects (use cases typical for the respective applications and relevant to the industry that can indicate concrete standardisation needs, from which findings on quality and conformity control can then be obtained) along with strategic implementation initiatives arising from the roadmap.
   
• The AI office will also coordinate and accompany the regular updating of the Standardisation Roadmap AI.
   
• It will furthermore support the coordination group and the federal ministries in determining focal points, establishing working groups and ensuring broad participation processes.

The new AI office will also define the requirements of AI applications with regard to standardisation processes in cooperation with the coordination group and discuss said requirements with the parties responsible for the process within the standardisation organisations. Planning and implementing communication measures are further responsibilities of the AI office. (vdo)

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