The progress made in recent years has turned the former niche topic of artificial intelligence (AI) into a central aspect of economic and security policy. Many countries are responding to this with considerable determination and speed: for example, by quickly and unbureaucratically setting up AI security authorities, recruiting top technical talent and through close exchange with experts from industry and science in specially convened committees. There is currently far too little of this determination in Germany – although we urgently need it now that, among other things, a future-proof implementation of the European AI Act is pending.