Artificial intelligence drives digital sovereignty concerns in business and law

The integration of generative artificial intelligence is reshaping how organizations manage knowledge and how the legal sector operates, raising significant concerns regarding digital sovereignty.

A survey by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) reveals a high level of technological dependency among companies. Approximately 36 percent of businesses consider themselves largely dependent on AI, while another 32 percent report being completely dependent. This shift moves beyond data and infrastructure concerns, as knowledge-intensive tasks—such as research, document analysis, and decision preparation—are increasingly migrated to digital systems.

In the legal field, discussions at the 35th EDV-Court Day at Saarland University highlighted both the potential and the risks of AI assistance. While AI agents can simulate court proceedings and provide success forecasts based on previous rulings, there are concerns regarding the autonomy of legal professionals. The ability of AI to influence outcomes through pre-selection processes poses a challenge to the self-determination of jurists.