Business · Economy · 7 hrs ago
Sascha Lobo warns Germany could lose jobs if it falls behind on AI
Sascha Lobo warned that Germany could face serious job losses if it fails to make effective use of artificial intelligence.
Speaking on Paul Ronzheimer’s podcast, he said unemployment reaching 30% was a possibility, not a certainty.
Lobo said the risk grows as Germany uses less AI, but he does not expect a widespread wave of unemployment.
Instead, he thinks there may be fewer highly paid workers and more people in lower-paid jobs.
He blamed barriers including bureaucracy, cautious investment and difficulty keeping talented researchers and helping them start businesses.
Lobo also pointed to China, where he said AI has been a required high-school subject since 2018, as a contrast with Germany’s debate over children’s smartphone use.
How Germany adopts AI could shape jobs and pay, but Lobo did not set out a specific next step.
Sascha Lobo warned that Germany could face much higher unemployment if it fails to adopt artificial intelligence effectively.
He said the possibility of 30 percent unemployment would become more likely the less Germany uses AI well.
Lobo said he did not expect a broad wave of unemployment, but predicted fewer highly paid workers and more lower-paid workers.
He blamed investment caution, bureaucracy and regulation for holding back Germany’s AI development.
He said China has had compulsory AI classes in high schools since 2018.
- Who
- Digital expert Sascha Lobo.
- What
- He warned that Germany could lose jobs if it falls behind in adopting AI.
- When
- The interview was reported on October 31, 2026.
- Where
- In the RONZHEIMER podcast; the discussion concerned Germany.
- Why
- Lobo said the risk of unemployment rises the less Germany uses AI effectively. He also cited investment caution, bureaucracy and regulation.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
China introduced compulsory artificial intelligence classes in high schools, according to Lobo.
BILD published its report on Lobo’s remarks in the RONZHEIMER podcast.
- Unemployment scenario
- Lobo raised the possibility of 30 percent unemployment if Germany misses the AI transformation.
- Lobo’s age
- 51
- China’s AI classes
- Compulsory in high schools since 2018, according to Lobo.
- Investment pattern
- Lobo said 97 percent of wealthy people’s money goes into real estate.
2 sources
What people are saying
I believe we are doomed in Germany to make the great AI transformation happen, (...) because I—and I think many others too—do not want to see this country with 30 percent unemployment.
This possibility becomes more likely the less we use AI sensibly here in the country.
When it comes to investment, Germany is the world’s shallow end.
We have put quite a lot of obstacles in the way of young companies, and deliberately.