AI is reshaping how we work, govern and build. But who gets to decide how? When democratic principles are at stake, or when your users chose you for your values, “move fast and figure it out later” isn’t good enough.

In this event, two practitioners share how they navigate AI adoption when the stakes go beyond efficiency and growth.

Magdalena Zadara (Chief of Staff & Strategy, DigitalService) gives an inside look at how the German government approaches AI: from using frontier models to modernise legacy public services to piloting agentic AI applications with European startups, all while safeguarding democratic mandates and building genuine digital sovereignty.

Nick Bollen (Senior Product Manager at Ecosia, previously at DeepL) tells the story of bringing AI search to Ecosia: a user base that chose the company for its mission pushing back, data telling a different story, and the real decisions around model selection, energy tracking and privacy that followed.

After both talks, a moderated discussion brings the two perspectives into dialogue, exploring where the public sector and mission-driven companies align on responsible AI, and where their challenges diverge.

The evening closes with drinks and networking, with plenty of time to continue the conversation.

This event is hosted by ProductTank Nürnberg, the local chapter of the global ProductTank community. We bring together people who build, manage and shape digital products for regular talks, discussions and knowledge exchange. Whether you work in tech, policy, management, or simply care about how AI is shaping our society: join us.