en.Wedoany.com Reported - Germany's digital industry continues to grow strongly despite the overall economic downturn. According to data published by Bitkom, the German information technology and telecommunications (ITK) market is expected to grow by 4.1% to €246.4 billion in 2026, continuing its growth trajectory, albeit at a slightly slower pace compared to last year's 4.7%.

Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst stated that digitalization remains a driving force for Germany's economic growth. Companies and the public sector continue to invest in software, IT services, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity, despite more cautious economic decision-making at present.

Within the digital economy, the IT segment is growing the strongest, with revenue expected to increase by 5.4% to €170.8 billion. Software business is the biggest driver, projected to grow by 9.9% to €58.1 billion, largely fueled by cloud software growth—its revenue is expected to reach approximately €42.5 billion in 2026, a year-on-year increase of 21.9%. The AI sector is growing rapidly; according to Bitkom calculations, AI platform revenue will grow by 75.8% to €3.1 billion in 2026, following a 50% increase the previous year.

IT hardware is expected to grow by an average of 3.3%, primarily driven by price effects. Although sales of products such as desktop computers, tablets, and smart home devices are declining, higher revenues are generated due to rising prices for RAM storage and chips. Demand for cloud-based IT infrastructure is strong, growing by 22.3%. The telecommunications sector is experiencing moderate growth of 1.4%, reaching €75.6 billion, with telecom services still accounting for the largest share (€53.9 billion), while investment in telecom infrastructure grew by 4.2% to €8.3 billion. Wintergerst emphasized the need to promote network expansion, for example by providing priority power access for mobile communication base stations.

Despite positive domestic developments, Bitkom warns that Germany's gap is widening in international comparison. The global ITK market is expected to grow by 8.5% to €5.9 trillion in 2026, with the United States dominating with a 41% market share and 12.7% growth, while Germany's global market share is only 3.8%. Wintergerst stated that the gap between the pole of the US and China on one side, and Germany and its European neighbors on the other, is widening, and he called for at least catching up with the US in terms of growth rates.