Canada's AI minister wraps Germany partnership trip

Federal AI Minister Evan Solomon concluded a three-day visit to Berlin on Monday, participating in Germany's 2026 Digital Summit and meeting with European ministers and technology industry leaders to deepen Canada's international artificial intelligence partnerships.

Solomon delivered keynote remarks at the summit's 'Tech Middle Powers Cooperation: Building a Sovereign Technology Alliance' session and joined a ministerial discussion hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on shaping AI policy, according to a news release issued Tuesday by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.

Solomon also met with his German counterpart, Dr. Karsten Wildberger, Germany's Federal Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation. The two ministers discussed expanding their countries' Sovereign Technology Alliance, launched in February 2026, as well as joint investments in AI firms LawZero and Cohere, which recently merged with German company Aleph Alpha.

"Canada's message is clear: trusted partnerships are essential to building an innovative and secure AI future for all," Solomon said in the release. "With Germany and European allies, Canada is advancing partnerships that will strengthen AI safety, support innovation, grow our economies and help our workers and businesses succeed in an increasingly digital world."

Wildberger said the two countries share common ground on the development of artificial intelligence. "Canada and Germany deepened their close partnership at the Digital Summit in Berlin. We share the goal of developing safe and trustworthy artificial intelligence and harnessing its economic potential," Wildberger said. "Our approach is sovereignty through partnership, which means pooling our research and business capabilities, reducing technological dependencies and creating new opportunities for our companies."

Beyond Germany, Solomon met with France's Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs Anne Le Hénanff, the Netherlands' Minister for the Digital Economy and Sovereignty Willemijn Aerdts, and Switzerland's Federal Chancellor Viktor Rossi. He also held meetings with representatives from technology companies SAP, Schwarz Digits and Giesecke+Devrient on potential AI collaboration in Canada.

The Sovereign Technology Alliance builds on a Canada-Germany Digital Alliance announced in December 2025 and an earlier joint declaration of intent on AI cooperation between the two countries. Canada's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, titled AI for All, was launched on June 4, 2026.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada did not indicate when Solomon's next international engagement is scheduled.