The OMR Festival 2026 concluded in Hamburg, Germany, attracting over 70,000 visitors and marking its most international edition yet. With more than 1,000 exhibitors and 800 speakers, over 20% of attendees came from outside the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), underscoring the event's growing global appeal. This year's festival placed artificial intelligence and data sovereignty at the forefront of discussions.
AI Proactive Agents Take Center Stage
Industry leaders explored the evolution of AI from a reactive tool to a proactive agent. Nick Turley of OpenAI highlighted that Germany ranks first in ChatGPT usage across Europe, reflecting the region's rapid adoption of AI technologies. Turley emphasized that as AI systems become more autonomous, companies must adapt workflows and ethical guidelines accordingly. Experts agreed that next-generation AI will anticipate needs and act without explicit commands, potentially transforming sectors such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Data Sovereignty Demands Intensify
Data sovereignty emerged as a critical theme. Rolf Schumann of Schwarz Digits called for stronger European control over data, stating, "We should not replicate the data models of China or the U.S." He advocated for independent data infrastructure and legal frameworks to protect citizen privacy and commercial interests. German Federal Minister for Digital Transformation Dr. Karsten Wildberger viewed AI as a key lever to revitalize the industrial sector, provided data sovereignty is secured. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil pushed for greater European autonomy in technology development to reduce reliance on non-European suppliers.
OMR 2027 Expands to Three Days
The organizers announced that OMR Festival 2027 will be extended from two to three days to accommodate growing demand and a richer program. This expansion reflects the festival's rising influence in shaping global digital discourse. The 2026 edition also featured cutting-edge AI applications, including autonomous customer service bots, intelligent data governance tools, and enterprise AI agent platforms, showcasing deep integration between technology and business use cases.