🤖 AI in Germany 2026: What individuals and companies need to know and do NOW

By Gerd Brako, Founder & CEO ONLINE.BROS | January 17, 2026

Germany stands at a turning point in 2026. Artificial intelligence is no longer "the future"—it is NOW. And those who don't act will be left behind. As someone who has helped over 1,247 people build their AI businesses, I see every day what's possible. But I also see who loses: those who wait, those who hesitate, those who think "later."

There is no "later" anymore. There is only NOW.

📊 The reality: Germany is lagging behind

Let me tell you the hard truth: Germany is NOT a leader in AI. We're not even in the top 5.

🌍 The global AI landscape in 2026:

• USA: Leading the way with OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta
• China: Massive investments, government support
• UK: DeepMind, strong startup scene
• Israel: Highest AI startup density per capita
• Germany: Ranked 8th-10th, depending on the ranking

❌ Why Germany is lagging behind:

1. Bureaucracy & Regulation

While the US can build an AI startup in six months, in Germany we need 18 months just for the approvals. GDPR, AI Act, data protection – all important, but they stifle innovation.

2. Risk aversion

German companies prefer to wait and see. "Let's see what the others do first." But in AI, there's no second-mover advantage. First come, first served.

3. Skilled worker shortage

Germany has 96,000 open IT positions (as of January 2026). AI experts prefer to go to the USA, UK, or Switzerland. Why? Better salaries, less bureaucracy, more freedom.

4. Lack of investment

The US invests $50 billion a year in AI. China $40 billion. Germany? $5 billion. We're not even in the same league.

🏢 What companies need to know NOW

I work with companies ranging from 5 to 500 employees. And I see the same mistakes time and time again. Here's what you, as an entrepreneur or CEO, need to know NOW:

1. AI is not an "IT project" – it is a business transformation.

Incorrect: "We'll have the IT department test ChatGPT."

Correct: "We integrate AI into EVERY business process. Sales, marketing, customer service, production, HR – everywhere."

Real-world example:

A medium-sized company from Munich (mechanical engineering, 120 employees) came to me. They wanted to "try out ChatGPT". I said: "No. We automate 80% of your processes."

What we did:

• ✅ AI chatbot for customer service (saves 3 full-time employees)
• ✅ Automated quote generation (from 2 days to 10 minutes)
• ✅ Predictive Maintenance with AI (30% fewer failures)
• ✅ AI-supported quality control (error rate reduced from 5% to 0.3%)

Result after 6 months:

• 💰 Costs reduced by €420,000/year
• 📈 Revenue increased by 18% (faster quotes = more orders)
• 😊 Employee satisfaction has increased (less routine work)

2. Your competition never sleeps.

While you're reading this article, your competitor is automating their sales process. While you're "still considering it," a startup in your industry is building an AI tool that will make you obsolete.

📊 Numbers that hurt:

• 67% of German companies use AI (as of January 2026)
• But only 23% use them strategically.
• 44% are "just experimenting"
• 33% have NO AI strategy

This means that 33% of German companies will no longer exist in 3-5 years. Or they will be acquired by AI-first companies.

3. AI doesn't replace jobs – it replaces companies.

The biggest fear: "AI will take our jobs!"

The reality: AI doesn't take away jobs. But companies that use AI replace companies that don't.

Example:

A graphic design studio (8 employees) vs. a one-man company using Midjourney, DALL-E and ChatGPT.

The studio:

• 8 employees
• Costs: €40,000/month (salaries, rent, etc.)
• Output: 50 designs/month
• Price: €500/design
• Revenue: €25,000/month
• Profit: -€15,000/month (loss!)

The one-man operation with AI:

• 1 person
• Cost: €500/month (software, home office)
• Output: 200 designs/month (AI does 90% of the work)
• Price: €200/design (cheaper because of lower costs)
• Revenue: €40,000/month
• Profit: €39,500/month

Who wins? The one-man operation. Not because it's better. But because it uses AI.

👤 What private individuals need to know NOW

You're not an entrepreneur? You're an employee, student, or freelancer? Then this section is for YOU.

1. Your job will change – or disappear.

I don't want to be dramatic. But I want to be honest: Many jobs that exist today will no longer exist in 2030.

🔴 High-risk jobs (70-90% automation):

• Accountant (AI does it better, faster, more accurately)
• Translators (DeepL, ChatGPT are already better than 90% of humans)
• Data analysts (AI analyzes in seconds what takes humans days)
• Customer service (chatbots answer 92% of all questions)
• Graphic designers (Midjourney, DALL-E are incredibly good)
• Content writer (ChatGPT writes better than 80% of people)
• Programmers (co-pilot, cursors write 70% of the code)

🟡 Medium-risk jobs (30-60% automation):

• Marketing Manager (AI handles campaigns, analytics, content)
• HR Manager (AI screens applications, conducts interviews)
• Project manager (AI plans, coordinates, optimizes)
• Salesperson (AI generates leads, follow-ups, and closes)

🟢 Low-risk jobs (10-30% automation):

• Doctors (AI supports, but does not replace)
• Therapists (empathy cannot be replaced by AI)
• Craftsmen (Physical work is difficult to automate)
• Creative people (strategy, vision, innovation need people)
• Leaders (Leadership is human)

2. The new capability: Using AI

The most important skill in 2026 is not programming. Not design. Not marketing.

The most important skill is: USING AI.

What this means:

• ✅ Know which AI tools exist
• ✅ Know how to use them
• ✅ Know how to write prompts
• ✅ Know how to integrate AI into workflows
• ✅ Know how to optimize AI output

Example from my life:

I am not a programmer. I am not a designer. I am not a copywriter.

But I use:

• ChatGPT for content, strategy, and analytics
• Claude for long texts, complex tasks
• Midjourney for images, designs, graphics
• Cursor for code (I am writing 0 lines myself)
• ElevenLabs for Voice-Overs
• Runway for videos

Result: I do the work of 10 people. Alone. In 3-4 hours/day.

3. Your options: Adapt or perish

You have 3 options:

Option A: Ignore

"AI is just a hype. This will pass."

Result: In 3-5 years you will be unemployed. Or you will be working for minimum wage.

Option B: Keep up

"I'm learning AI tools. I'm staying relevant."

Result: You keep your job. You might even get a raise.

Option C: Lead

"I'm going to become an AI expert. I'm going to build my own business."

Result: You will become financially free. You work 2-4 hours/day. You earn €10,000+/month.

Which option do you choose?

🚀 How to prepare (step-by-step)

Enough theory. Here's what you can do NOW:

For private individuals:

Step 1: Learn the basics (1-2 weeks)

• ✅ Create a ChatGPT account (free)
• ✅ Use it daily for 30 minutes
• ✅ Learn Prompt Engineering (YouTube has 1000+ tutorials)
• ✅ Test different AI tools (Midjourney, Claude, etc.)

Step 2: Integrate AI into your everyday life (2-4 weeks)

• ✅ Use ChatGPT for emails
• ✅ Use AI for research
• ✅ Use AI for planning
• ✅ Use AI for learning

Step 3: Become an expert (2-3 months)

• ✅ Learn advanced techniques
• ✅ Build your own workflows
• ✅ Automate your work
• ✅ Offer AI services (freelancing)

Step 4: Build your business (3-6 months)

• ✅ Find your niche
• ✅ Build your offer
• ✅ Gain your first customers
• ✅ Scale with AI

For businesses:

Step 1: Audit (1 week)

• ✅ Analyze all processes
• ✅ Identify automation potential
• ✅ Calculate ROI
• ✅ Prioritize quick wins

Step 2: Pilot project (4-6 weeks)

• ✅ Choose a process
• ✅ Implement AI solution
• ✅ Trade fair results
• ✅ Optimize

Step 3: Roll-out (3-6 months)

• ✅ Scale to all departments
• ✅ School staff
• ✅ Establish an AI culture
• ✅ Continuous optimization

💡 The 10 most important AI tools of 2026

Here are the tools I use daily and recommend:

1. ChatGPT (OpenAI)

For what: Text, strategy, analysis, code, almost everything

Price: $20/month (Plus) or $200/month (Pro)

My rating: 10/10 - Indispensable

2. Claude (Anthropic)

For: Long texts, complex analyses, research

Price: $20/month

My rating: 9/10 - Better than ChatGPT for long texts

3. Midjourney

For what: Images, designs, graphics

Price: $30/month

My rating: 10/10 - Best image quality

4. Cursor

Purpose: To write code (without programming knowledge!)

Price: $20/month

My rating: 9/10 - Game-changer for non-coders

5. ElevenLabs

For: Voice-overs, podcasts, audio

Price: $22/month

My rating: 9/10 - Sounds like a real person

6. Runway

Purpose: Video editing, video generation

Price: $35/month

My rating: 8/10 - Not perfect yet, but incredibly good

7. Notion AI

Purpose: Notes, project management, documentation

Price: $10/month

My rating: 8/10 - Good for organization

8. Perplexity

Purpose: Research, fact-checking

Price: $20/month

My rating: 9/10 - Better than Google for research

9. Zapier/Make

Purpose: Automation, workflows

Price: $20-$50/month

My rating: 9/10 - Indispensable for automation

10. Shopify AI

For what purpose: E-commerce, online shops

Price: Included in the Shopify plan

My rating: 8/10 - Good for shop owners

⚠️ The biggest mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Mistake #1: "I'm still waiting"

Why this is wrong: AI is developing exponentially. Those who wait today will be two years behind tomorrow.

What you should do instead: Start NOW. Even if you only invest 30 minutes a day.

Mistake #2: "AI is too complicated for me"

Why that's wrong: AI is EASIER than you think. ChatGPT is simpler than Excel.

What you should do instead: Just try it. 90%