Bernd Wagner, Managing Director of Google Cloud in Germany, discusses data sovereignty, the sustainability of AI, and the future of Germany as a technology hub in this interview.
Since 2015, Google Cloud has been developing AI applications. What solutions are available now, specifically for companies, and what makes them stand out?
WAGNER Retention is the new recruitment, i.e. retaining employees is becoming more important than finding employees. We are convinced of this as well. As market conditions decrease, preserving key personnel within the company becomes increasingly vital for businesses. A common saying in HR goes: people join because of the company and leave because of the manager. Since this turns out to be very true, we will focus more closely than ever before on leadership. What does a manager need to create the retention effect mentioned above? This is the question we will be exploring. Vertex AI provides companies with a customized environment where Google’s most essential AI components are integrated. At its core is Gemini, our most powerful and versatile multimodal AI for creating and processing text, audio, images, and videos. Additionally, companies have access to a wide range of partner products. Data sovereignty remains with the company managing the solution, allowing them to meet governance and compliance requirements confidently.
Does Google Cloud have access to customer company data, and—for example could it potentially bring it to the US market?
WAGNER Google Cloud cannot use customer data for its own purposes. Data is encrypted by default, and the company manages the “key” through its own team. This process has minimal performance impact because our servers in our cloud regions are specifically configured for it. With sufficient capacities in Frankfurt and Hanau (forming the Frankfurt cloud region), we ensure mutual backups and disaster recovery within the country. Furthermore, the cloud region Berlin-Brandenburg is emerging as another hub.
We believe in Europe and Germany as innovation drivers. By 2030, Google will invest 1 billion euros in expanding IT infrastructure in Germany. Additionally, we support innovative local start-ups.
What about sustainability? Due to the increasing use of AI applications, the electricity demand for computing capacities is rising.
WAGNER Google has been covering 100% of its annual electricity consumption from renewable energies since 2017. By 2030, Google aims for net-zero emissions throughout its operations and value chain, supported by the ambitious goal of powering our data centers and office locations with carbon-free energy around the clock.
We also strategically leverage technology to reduce our energy needs and maximize energy utilization. For instance, we can predict the arrival of an approaching cold front with almost minute-by-minute accuracy and adjust the cooling of our data centers accordingly. Furthermore, the heat emitted by our servers is repurposed – for example, to heat nearby office buildings.
From your perspective, what are the greatest risks and challenges posed by the triumph of AI?
WAGNER We are deeply committed to Responsible AI and continuously enhance solutions to detect fake content, prevent manipulation, and safeguard copyright. Our AI does not carry out certain requests because it is subject to a code of values. We embed watermarks and metadata in generated images to uncover misuse in abusive contexts. Additionally, content we create is attributed to sources to provide clear context. In summary, we employ every conceivable means to ensure transparency.
If AI can automate so many tasks, millions of professionals in companies would become obsolete – or how do you see it?
WAGNER Certainly, there will be an immense shift in job profiles, and it’s essential to remain flexible. By using AI, companies will be able to process significantly more inquiries in the same amount of time with the same workforce. Moreover, they can achieve better results because customer needs can be met more accurately and precisely. As a result, personnel will have more time for core business activities or new tasks arising from this transformation. Services and work outcomes optimized by AI will become the new standard, a commodity. No company will be able to afford - in the truest sense of the word - not to keep up with this leap in performance.
The beauty of it is that generative AI is, in a way, a democratic asset – even small providers worldwide can build a business using it.
AI can unleash substantial resources, especially in tightly regulated industries, creating space for genuine improvements and innovations. This applies equally to ministries or authorities, which can allocate capacities to truly essential matters when AI not only handles paperwork but also provides concrete recommendations, supporting decision-making processes.
Final question: How does AI personally support you in your tasks?
WAGNER I genuinely enjoy working with Duet AI for Google Workspace and benefit from it. Whether it’s texts, presentations, or meeting summaries, AI takes a lot of daily work off my plate. However, it doesn’t replace human assistance, and that’s a good thing.
About Bernd Wagner:
Bernd Wagner has been the Managing Director at Google Cloud in Germany since 2021. Prior to that, Wagner held the position of Senior Vice President for Sales at T-Systems International and was also a member of the supervisory board at Operational Services GmbH, a joint venture between Fraport AG and T-Systems International. In other roles, the IT top manager led the business of Softline AG, and he began his career in 2007 as a Senior Vice President at Fujitsu.
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