Germany is competitive in artificial intelligence research, mid-table in terms of application, and lagging behind in growth and funding. At the same time, AI innovation capacity is geographically concentrated in a few centres. Nevertheless, there are opportunities to catch up – both for Germany as a whole and for regions that are lagging behind. This is shown by the new AI Atlas published by the Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space (IRS). more info

In the academic year 2026/2027, IRS historian Kerstin Brückweh will be teaching at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. There, she is taking up the prestigious Hannah Arendt Visiting Chair in German and European Studies. more info

Structural change is not just a question of technology or funding. It is also about valuations: which types of work, skills and visions of the future are considered valuable, and which are no longer? Who decides this? Since 1 September 2026, geographer Jonathan Friedrich has been investigating these questions at the IRS. He heads the new Junior Research Group "Value and Evaluation in Structural Change" and is also a junior professor of urban and regional sociology at the BTU Cottbus. more info

The scorching summer of 2026 has just starkly demonstrated just how important climate protection and adaptation are at the local level. Kristine Kern was one of the first researchers to focus on climate protection at the local level. Now, a forward-looking research agenda based on her work has been published. more info