“The European Union is losing the global ‘AI race’ on nearly every key metric except regulation,” EuroNews wrote on January 27.

This represents the conventional wisdom regarding Europe’s AI development. But what many overlook is that Europe is actually pursuing a different strategy.

The EU’s InvestAI initiative aims to build up to five AI gigafactories, each expected to produce more than 100,000 advanced AI chips. It is steadily increasing its investment, but on a much smaller scale than the U.S.

On February 4, Germany’s Deutsche Telekom opened one of Europe’s largest AI factories in Munich. The facility provides enough computing power for all 450 million EU citizens to use a Chatgpt-style AI assistant simultaneously. However, as Deutsche Welle wrote, “[T]he Industrial AI Cloud isn’t aimed at individual consumers. Instead, it targets Germany’s industrial heavyweights, including automakers, machinery manufacturers and robotics companies” (“Germany bets on industrial AI to rival U.S. and China,” February 25).

Antonio Krüger, ceo of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, believes that this gives Germany a chance to catch up “without the trillion-dollar investment gamble by the world’s two largest economies,” Deutsche Welle explained. Germany is “tailoring AI to the country’s niche—manufacturing—rather than consumer-facing, where the United States and China have the clear lead” (ibid).

This is exactly what former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (a man the Trumpet watches closely) said Germany must do. In a television interview with Puls 4-Talk on July 28, 2019, he said: “Artificial intelligence is still something Europe could shape. We have a well-established industry, which still has to become far more connected to the new technologies. But once this happens, it will develop a totally different field of power than a purely technological or digitalization firm.”

Seven years later, Guttenberg is frustrated but remains optimistic. In his June 11 newsletter, he wrote: “Anyone who looks not just at headlines but at data, investment flows and institutional decisions will see a continent that is more technologically advanced than it realizes.” He gave a few examples, citing recent reports:

• Europe has more than 40,000 funded tech companies, around 4,000 firms with annual revenue exceeding $25 million, and more than 1,200 companies with $100 million in revenue or a valuation in the billions.
• There are 413 European tech companies valued at over $1 billion, 4.6 million people employed in the tech sector, an ecosystem value of $3.8 trillion, and more than 27,000 founders starting new ventures in Europe in 2025 alone.

Germany especially has enormous growth potential:

• Nearly 50 German start-ups have eclipsed $1 billion in valuation since 2014.
• It is the world’s fourth-most-funded tech nation, raising $8.5 billion over the past 12 months and recording 315 percent growth in the defense tech sector.

While Germany excels at integrating AI into manufacturing, it is even better at integrating it into deathware—various weapons of war. The best example is AI drone manufacturer Helsing.

Guttenberg admits that Europe has “real weaknesses,” such as “capital depth, scale and the pace of deregulation.” “But it has long had real strengths as well,” he said, “a broad research base, industrial depth, a growing start-up scene, deep-tech expertise, and—surprise!—in some areas, even a newfound strategic self-confidence.”

Europe’s biggest problem is drawing investors, the difference-makers who help U.S. start-ups reach breakthroughs. On the other hand, some investors may find that some U.S. companies have been overhyped compared to their European counterparts. A rising start-up in Europe may not be less valuable than its U.S. counterpart; it just lacks the funds to prove its worth. This means that some deregulation and the creation of a capital market union in Europe could do wonders.

With the right leadership, Germany is in a key position to excel—especially if American and Chinese investments fail to pay off.

Germany’s AI Surprise Prophesied?

Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry warned in “The Unknown Future of Artificial Intelligence” in March 2024: “America will be blindsided by German military technology. The Germans are moving fast, and in some ways they are already ahead of America. What we see in the news is only a fraction of what is going on behind the scenes, I am sure. Winston Churchill warned, ‘Beware! Germany is a country fertile in military surprises.’ The Bible warns that the biggest surprises are yet ahead!” (theTrumpet.com/28925)

This is another reason Germany is lying low where AI developments are concerned. It doesn’t want fame or money; rather, it seeks to surprise militarily.

But to really unlock its potential, it needs a strong leader unburdened by democratic norms. The Bible reveals it will get one, and the indication is, he will be a master at understanding AI.

Daniel 8:23 reads, “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.”

For more than 15 years, Mr. Flurry has stated that he believes the likeliest man to fulfill this role is Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. This man’s understanding of and interest in AI adds intrigue to this forecast.

Mr. Flurry explained: “The expression ‘dark sentences’ comes from the word haidah, which means riddle, difficult, question, parable (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament). I believe this expression could also mean difficult technology. Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon defines ‘dark sentences’ as ‘twisted, involved, subtlety, … fraud, … enigma.’ To many today, AI is such an enigma” (ibid).

If Germany can harness the dark powers of AI, that could give it a critical edge in an economic siege followed by a devastating military attack on the U.S.

But notice that this leader will arise “when the transgressors are come to the full.” This is the real reason Germany is prophesied to take the lead: God is angry with America’s sins! No technological edge will save it from God’s wrath. He raised nations to punish ancient Israel, and He will do the same to America today.

In Isaiah 10:5-6, God says, “O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.”

Assyria is modern Germany; the “hypocritical nation” refers mainly to the U.S. and Britain.

An edge in AI will not save America from God’s wrath! Only repentance can.