Two centuries ago, the land of poets and thinkers also took pride in its native engineers. In the fields of chemistry and pharmacy, mechanical engineering and automotive engineering, people are rightly proud of the achievements and accomplishments with which the German-speaking world has been and continues to be blessed.

While you promote and sell your own technology to other people, at the same time you have serious reservations about other people’s technologies.

“Philosophizing” or “talking it up” after all

When it comes to other people’s technologies from the recent past, such as the smartphone, the internet, social media or AI – all technologies, incidentally, for which the German-speaking world has little technology or companies of its own to show for itself – the professional naysayers immediately step forward. The supposed and real risks and dangers are listed, German philosophers are quoted eloquently and with unimpeachable authority and the collapse of civilization is prophesied.

Funnily enough, such discussions about domestic technologies hardly ever take place. The dangers and risks of mechanical engineering and chemistry? Those of cars? Experts are more outraged about the possible introduction of speed limits on German highways. No TV panel discussing the negative effects of manufacturing machines made in Germany. There are no politicians who want to be elected and who paint a picture of the collapse of civilization because of cars made in Germany.

Other people’s technologies – just think of the most recent example of artificial intelligence – are first and foremost seen as a threat. People philosophize long and hard about the ethical and moral upheavals that this would bring. There are calls for protective measures and regulations, and company leaders are called before parliamentary committees.

They are proud of this approach and pat themselves on the back for being the only ones to have recognized the dangers and risks and taken action against them. People boast about this approach and talk euphemistically about “philosophizing” when discussing these topics at length and in a rather one-sided manner. However, “talking down” would be a better term, as it is always embarrassingly obvious how little experience the opinionated discussants have with the technologies being picked apart. Quite the opposite: it is often seen as a badge of honor that they want nothing to do with this technology (from abroad) and steadfastly refuse to accept it.

Although the term philosophy literally means the “love of wisdom”, this type of philosophizing is the exact opposite. You neither become wise, nor do you love the associated process of knowledge.

The fear caused by not knowing

Delegations from German-speaking countries that I receive in Silicon Valley make this clear time and again. When people talk about autonomous cars, for example, they immediately ask questions such as “And if it’s unsafe, can I get out of the car?”, “What if there’s an accident?”, “Can I contact someone if there’s danger?”. Or statements like “If I see someone waiting at the junction, I always go around the back, you never know.” Incidentally, these are all statements that I have been asked by several participants in recent weeks.

As soon as the participants had completed their first drive in an autonomous car, i.e. experienced the technology for themselves, these questions vanished into the wind. The focus immediately shifted to questions such as “When will we have it?” or “Why don’t we have it ourselves yet?”

As I give talks and workshops on these new technologies from Silicon Valley, I always see a change in perspective among the participants. From skepticism before the AI workshop or the robot taxi ride to one in which the possibilities are rattled off in the mind’s eye.

Leadership

Cultivating curiosity about new technologies requires strong leadership. A board of directors must not only order this curiosity, but also exemplify it. Managers who opt for an electric car, use AI tools themselves and talk to employees about the possibilities in their own products, services and processes create such a culture.

Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke even went one step further. In an internal email to all employees, he made the use of AI tools mandatory. It will even become a criterion in employee appraisals and performance reviews. Employees would also be provided with a small budget to pay for subscriptions to AI tools of their choice.

The signal is clear: people are not just talking about it, they are actually doing it. Experience with the possibilities and limitations of a new technology is what makes good ideas for in-house use possible. And the CEO has taken the initiative and is setting a good example.

Conclusion

In order to remain one of the leading technology nations, you have to keep up to date with what other technology nations are doing. We need to try out their technologies, learn from their approaches and ultimately combine the best with our own.

This requires strong leadership. The interest in technology cannot just be delegated, it must be exemplified by the management. The only way forward is to do more hands-on work instead of philosophizing or, more correctly, talking away, without any ifs or buts, and without nostalgically glorifying the old technology and holding on to it without wanting to subject it to a change process. And it resolves the technology paradox.