Categories
Selected Articles

I spent 2 days at Axel Springer’s AI summit. My takeaway was that Germany wants to fight like hell to stay in the AI arms race.

Sam Altman and Mathias Döpfner talk on a brightly lit stage surrounded by professionals.
Sam Altman and Mathias Döpfner.

  • I flew 2,950 miles to Berlin for the Welt AI Summit — two days of discussions on the future of AI.
  • OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Palantir’s Alex Karp, and the head of Germany’s DOGE-like ministry spoke.
  • My main takeaway was that Germany needs to scale back regulation so that new tech can flourish.
This week, Axel Springer hosted business leaders and politicians to debate the present and future of artificial intelligence.
A woman slips a band onto a conferencegoer's wrist.
Full disclosure: Axel Springer and our emcee, CEO Mathias Döpfner, own Business Insider.
Mathias Döpfner speaks into a microphone.
Mathias Döpfner.

The sleek, futuristic set, ringed with microphones, notebooks, and coffee, made me feel like I was on the bridge of a starbase.
Technologists talk on a brightly lit stage.
OpenAI’s Sam Altman may run a startup, but Berlin greeted him as a visiting head of state.
Sam Altman speaks into a microphone and Mathias Döpfner listens intently.
Sam Altman and Mathias Döpfner.

He’d brought good news. OpenAI said Wednesday it will partner with German software giant SAP to enable millions of the country’s public sector employees to use ChatGPT.
Philipp Herzig, chief technology officer and chief AI officer at SAP, talks into a microphone.
Philipp Herzig, chief technology officer and chief AI officer at SAP

Germany is OpenAI’s fifth-largest market, and “virtually all” Germans ages 18 to 24 use ChatGPT, Altman said.
People sit at a U-shaped table curving around a stage.
Döpfner recited a popular criticism of Europe that it regulates new technology before it can take root. He asked if a more iterative approach to rule-making made sense.
Mathias Döpfner talks into a microphone as Sam Altman listens.
“The tech is moving so fast,” Altman said, “that trying to write the regulation now and have it be correct over decades to come is an impossible task.”
Sam Altman talks into a microphone.
Altman proclaimed fusion the “end state of power on earth.”
Sam Altman talks into a microphone sitting next to Mathias Döpfner.
And he forecast a flood of small to midsize businesses run by solo founders and ChatGPT.
Sam Altman listens as Mathias Döpfner speaks into a mic.
As their talk wrapped up, I slipped into the hallway to try to catch Altman on his way out.
Sam Altman talks into a microphone as Mathias Döpfner listens.
Success! We talked about his meeting with the German chancellor and the changing visa policy back home.
Sam Altman stands with arms crossed, talking to a journalist.
Our reporter Melia Russell flew 3,950 miles to talk to Sam Altman for two minutes.

Altman is a tough act to follow. Maybe that’s why organizers put Germany’s version of Elon Musk onstage next.
Federal Minister Karsten Wildberger points a finger as he talks.
Federal Minister Karsten Wildberger addresses the room at the Welt AI Summit in Berlin on September 25, 2025.

Karsten Wildberger is Germany’s first-ever federal minister for digital transformation and government modernization. Think DOGE for Deutschland.
Technologists participate in a panel discussion on a stage.
Karsten Wildberger, German Federal Minister for Digitization and Government Modernization; Peter Sarlin, chief executive officer of AMD Silo AI; Ludwig Ensthaler, general partner at 468 Capital; and Philipp Herzig, chief technology officer and chief AI officer of SAP SE participate in a panel discussion on Europe’s fight to stay in the AI arms race.

He wants to scale back regulation. “We have to start to open up the gates and allow our companies to innovate much, much faster,” he said.
German Federal Minister Kerstner Wildberger talks into a microphone.
German Federal Minister Kerstner Wildberger.

Deregulation became the battle cry of the day.
Professionals sit on a stage before a blue screen.
Andreas Mundt, president of the German Federal Cartel Office (second from left); Axel Voss, a member of the European Parliament for Germany (middle); Dr. Julia Reuss, Meta’s director of public policy for central Europe (second from right); and Microsoft’s Samer Abu-Ltaif (right) participate in a panel discussion on striking the right balance between regulation and innovation.

Entrepreneurs and politicians asked how else they could jump-start Germany’s tech hub.
A man gestures with his hands while talking.
One venture capitalist said Germany has an abundance of seed capital, but not enough growth capital to help startups scale. So they end up migrating to other countries.
Professionals sit around a U-shaped conference table.
Richard Socher, a German-born founder who runs You.com, pointed out that venture capital translates as “risk capital” in German. He said this indicates that Germans often focus more on the downsides than the potential rewards.
Richard Socher counts on his fingers
Richard Socher, founder and CEO of You.com.

The last speaker gave the room a pep rally buzz more than a conference vibe.
Professionals laugh massed around a conference table.
Dr. Matthias Metz, chief executive officer of BSH Home Appliances Group, and Nicole Büttner-Thiel, chief executive officer of Merantix Momentum, join a discussion.

Palantir’s Alex Karp dialed in to motivate the Germans. He cheered Germany’s focus on vocational schools and “a culture of industrialization that’s second to none.”
Palantir's Alex Karp is shown on a screen.
Karp, a fluent German speaker who studied at a university in Frankfurt, argued that Germany shouldn’t try to clone Silicon Valley but instead define its own model — one that draws on the country’s strengths and channels its native talent.
Alex Karp joins a video call from a contemporary wood cabin.
“You’re not going to build Silicon Valley in Germany,” Karp said, “You’re going to build a German version.”
Professionals stand and talk amongst themselves around a conference table.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Categories
Selected Articles

Yankees’ Anthony Volpe thriving since cortisone shot in left shoulder

Since returning from a cortisone injection in his left shoulder, the Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe has looked more like his best version.
Categories
Selected Articles

Costco offers Lego Game Boys at a discount ahead of official release date

Lego Game Boy Surfaces Early at Retailers

The highly anticipated Lego Game Boy is now available at select retailers, well ahead of its official release date of October 1. Stores such as Costco and Sam’s Club are reportedly selling the unit at a discounted price, despite Lego.com and other retailers showing no stock, reports 24brussels.

Both retailers have the Lego Game Boy priced around $49, significantly lower than the official price of $59.99. This pricing strategy has stirred frustration among early buyers who pre-ordered through other outlets. It is also important to note that Costco and Sam’s Club typically require a paid membership to make purchases, with Costco’s annual fee set at $65.

Reports on social media confirm that pallets of the Lego Game Boy have been observed in numerous locations across the country within the past few days. Shoppers are encouraged to check their local warehouses for availability.

Finding stock at a nearby store can be tricky since the product is not listed online; however, the Costco app provides an inventory check feature. Users can access the app, navigate to the Warehouse tab, select a local store, and search for stock by entering the item number 1917022.

Prospective buyers should be prepared to locate the set in-store, often found in the toy aisle alongside other Lego products. The early availability of the Lego Game Boy continues to generate buzz as collectors and enthusiasts seek to secure this nostalgic item ahead of the official launch.

Categories
Selected Articles

Full steam ahead as Britain marks the bicentenary of a world-changing rail journey

Full steam ahead as Britain marks the bicentenary of a world-changing rail journey [deltaMinutes] mins ago Now
Categories
Selected Articles

PGA Tour winner Jake Knapp breaks silence on girlfriend Makena White’s death at 28: ‘Tough reality to comprehend’

PGA Tour winner Jake Knapp remembered his late girlfriend Makena White as selfless and thoughtful in his first public comments since her death at 28 years old, saying it’s “a tough reality to comprehend.”
Categories
Selected Articles

More railway operators to be returned to public ownership next year, says Labour

Govia Thameslink, Chiltern and Great Western to follow West Midlands Trains into public ownership in 2026, transport secretary to tell Labour party conference

Keir Starmer will warn the Labour party that it is in a “fight for the soul of the nation” and that history will not forgive his government if it fails to confront and defeat Reform UK and the populist right.

Speaking to the Guardian ahead of a vital conference for his leadership, he said he would tell disgruntled party members that now was “not the time for introspection” and infighting.

I have to say to all of those attending conference, this is a real opportunity for us to make our argument about patriotic national renewal, to own patriotism, to define it for what it is.

History will not forgive us if we do not use every ounce of our energy to fight Reform. There is an enemy. There is a project which is detrimental to our country. It actually goes against the grain of our history. It’s right there in plain sight in front of us. We have to win this battle.

Continue reading…

Categories
Selected Articles

Woman Spots “Ugliest” Table in Thrift for $5.59—Then She Turned It Over

During one of her regular “quick sweeps” of the store, the 56-year-old noticed something special.
Categories
Selected Articles

Israeli strikes kill at least 32 people in Gaza as Netanyahu ignores demands for a ceasefire

Israeli strikes kill at least 32 people in Gaza as Netanyahu ignores demands for a ceasefire [deltaMinutes] mins ago Now
Categories
Selected Articles

Donald Trump rally fails as Europe seize early Ryder Cup control

The golf-loving president arrived at Bethpage Black ahead of the afternoon session with his country trailing 3-1 from the morning foursomes.
Categories
Selected Articles

Luke Donald hails ‘massive’ displays from Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy

Rahm helped secure two of those points as he went out first in both sessions and world number two McIlroy delivered one-and-a half.