German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence

The German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) was founded in 1988 as a public-private partnership (PPP). It has locations in Kaiserslautern, Saarbrücken, Bremen and a project office in Berlin. DFKI is the leading business-oriented research institution in the field of innovative software technologies and based on artificial intelligence methods in Germany.

In 19 research areas and research groups, eight competence centers and eight living labs, application-oriented basic research, product functions, prototypes and patentable solutions in the field of information and communication technology are developed. Financing is provided by tenders from public funding bodies such as the European Union, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi), the federal states and the German Research Foundation (DFG) as well as by development contracts from the industry. The progress of publicly funded projects is reviewed twice a year by an international panel of experts (Scientific Advisory Board).

Besides the federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and Bremen, numerous well-known German and foreign high-tech companies are represented on the DFKI Supervisory Board. The successful DFKI model of a non-profit public-private partnership is regarded nationally and internationally as a trendsetting structure in the field of cutting-edge research.

The DFKI promotes Germany as a science and technology location in numerous committees and enjoys a high reputation in the education of young scientists far beyond Germany’s borders. At present, about 890 scientists and and around 610 student employees from more than 65 nations are working on more than 390 research projects. The DFKI serves as a career stepping stone for young scientists into industry management positions or self-employment through spin-offs. Over the years, more than 140 employees have been appointed to professorships at universities and colleges in Germany and abroad.