The age of artificial intelligence (AI) can come—on this point, the majority of the more than 11,000 people surveyed worldwide for this year’s Bosch Tech Compass agree. Never before have respondents viewed AI in such a positive light as in this year’s survey: A majority believes that AI will be the most influential technology of the coming years and will have the greatest positive impact on society of all technologies. More than half of all respondents worldwide feel ready for the changes brought about by AI. However, a certain degree of “progress fatigue” is also emerging: 57 percent would like to see a “pause button” and would prefer to slow down technological development until we can better understand its effects.

Germans Have the Highest Expectations for AI

In Germany, expectations regarding AI are particularly high: 77 percent of respondents here view AI as the most influential technology of the coming decade. Yet, as in previous years, skepticism toward technological progress remains relatively high among respondents in Germany. Only 59 percent believe that technology will make the world a better place—only in France (53 percent) are people even more skeptical. Globally, however, 71 percent are technology optimists. In Germany, only 40 percent currently feel prepared for the AI era—the lowest figure among all countries and on par with last year.

Focus on the Education System

Two additional findings may offer an explanation for the source of technological skepticism in Germany: Only 30 percent of respondents in Germany say that the education system has fostered innovative thinking in them, and only 23 percent believe that regulation in the country successfully promotes innovation—in both areas, Germany ranks last. “The results of the Bosch Tech Compass suggest that we need to increase societal acceptance of innovation in Germany,” says Stefan Hartung, Chairman of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch GmbH.

“More agility and less bureaucracy”

“To get innovation from the lab to the streets, however, the policy framework for innovation must also be right: This includes measures such as tax breaks for investments in innovative technologies, more agility, and less bureaucracy. Overall, I would like to see our society take more risks. And if something doesn’t work, we shouldn’t see this as a failure, but as part of the learning process,” Hartung continues.

“Rapidly growing number of innovative AI solutions”

Tanja Rückert, Member of the Board of Management and CDO of Robert Bosch GmbH, comments on the results: “We are seeing a rapidly growing number of innovative AI solutions worldwide—solutions we couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago. It is therefore not surprising that the number of people who see AI as the most influential technology of our future has skyrocketed globally from 41 percent to 70 percent in just three years.”

59 percent would encourage their child to start a startup

This positive attitude toward innovation and risk is also a cultural issue: 59 percent of respondents worldwide would encourage their child to skip college and start a startup if they had a groundbreaking idea. Only 52 percent of German respondents share this willingness to take risks. Yet it is precisely this courage that gives rise to the solutions of tomorrow. When asked which areas technological innovation should focus on, climate change (37 percent), access to healthcare (31 percent), and cybersecurity (28 percent) were cited most frequently worldwide.

AI Has the Greatest Positive and Negative Impact

According to respondents, AI will not only be the most influential technology of the next ten years, but also the one with the greatest positive impact on society. Forty-three percent of respondents worldwide believe this to be the case. Biotechnology and climate engineering follow far behind, with 36 percent and 32 percent, respectively, believing they will have a particularly positive impact. However, respondents see a downside: AI also ranks at the top among all technologies in terms of negative impacts on society, cited by 34 percent. Humanoid robots and self-driving vehicles follow behind.

“Innovation must go hand in hand with responsibility”

“For us at Bosch, this is a clear mandate: Innovation must go hand in hand with responsibility. Especially when it comes to AI, it is therefore important that we introduce global rules for trustworthy AI. At the same time, we must avoid stifling the development and use of AI through overregulation,” says Rückert.

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