First AI Media Leaders Conference in Hamburg

Decision-makers from all over Germany come to Hamburg for the first AI Media Leaders Conference

Together with its location initiative nextMedia.Hamburg and the Ministry of Culture and Media, Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft organised the AI Media Leaders Conference for the first time. The conference was organised together with the media company brand eins. Decision-makers from the media and digital economy spent a whole day discussing the topic of artificial intelligence at the Mojo Club on the Reeperbahn. More than 50 speakers, including Robert Heinrich (Federal Ministry for Digital and State Modernisation), Bruno Alexander ("Die Discounter") and Kenza Ait Si Abbou Lyadini (AI consultant and bestselling author) as well as more than 350 experts and decision-makers from the media and digital industry came together.

The organisers of the first AI Media Leaders Conference (AIM Leaders for short) were highly satisfied on the stage of Hamburg's Mojo Club music club on Thursday morning. In front of more than 350 AI experts and decision-makers from the media and digital economy, Dr Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media, Egbert Rühl, Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, and Dr Nina Klaß, nextMedia.Hamburg, officially opened the AI Media Leaders Conference 2025 - the first conference in the DACH region to focus specifically on the topic of artificial intelligence in the media and digital economy.

In view of the great social and economic potential for the use of artificial intelligence in the media, digital and creative industries, the conference sends out an important signal from Hamburg - also beyond Germany's borders, said Senator Dr Carsten Brosda, who opened the conference with his speech.

Dr Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media: "The AIM Leaders Conference is a good example of how strong Hamburg already is as a location for media, creativity and technology in the field of artificial intelligence. It is of strategic importance that AI is not just seen as a way to increase efficiency, but that its economic and social effects are comprehensively reflected. Media and creative products cannot be replaced by technology because their relevance also depends on the fact that they convey human claims to truth and meaning. But their production and distribution can be improved by technology if we organise this ourselves with confidence. It is not enough to simply regulate AI retrospectively. It is crucial that we succeed in pursuing our own European path of digital transformation that is society-centred, open and collaborative. This is what makes meaningful innovation possible. The AIM Leaders Conference will help us to jointly capitalise on the opportunities presented by the development of AI and to discuss sensible guidelines for further development."

With a diverse programme, the conference is aimed at cross-industry decision-makers from the press, advertising, broadcasting, film, books, music, software, games, social media and e-commerce sectors.

"How do we meet the challenges that AI poses for the entire creative industry? These challenges are located at very different levels, and Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft is intensifying its efforts to support the creative industries as comprehensively as possible in dealing with AI. The AI Media Leaders Conference is an important component of this. It focuses on strategic and entrepreneurial assessments and decisions on the use of AI and its significance for the development and change of the business model. Media leaders from very different industries can exchange views on these topics at eye level and discuss their future. So that Hamburg remains the creative industry centre in Germany", Egbert Rühl, Managing Director of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft.

In her speech, NextMedia.Hamburg Director Dr Nina Klaß emphasised that AIM Leaders is not just a conference, but rather a source of inspiration for a new, cross-industry network for executives that has actively helped shape the conference and is intended to create new structures for a better exchange of knowledge in the future.

"For us, the conference is a central component of a larger concept. With AIM Leaders, we want to build a long-term network, because AI will have a lasting impact on the industry. We therefore need long-term connections and opportunities for exchange. We have already planned a variety of formats for 2026 that will take up this networking idea. We all realise that something is developing. The sectors want to help shape it. And we are thrilled that our initiative has been so well received," says Dr Nina Klaß, Head of nextMedia.Hamburg.

The programme of the AI Media Leaders Conference reflects the entire spectrum of current AI debates in the media and digital industry: over 50 speakers came together on three stages to discuss challenges, opportunities and specific applications. The main stage set the strategic framework and highlighted overarching questions about transformation, responsibility and future prospects. The Jazz Café stage focussed on practical cases and lessons learned from companies. Finally, the Deep Dive Stage went one step deeper and focussed on the film and publishing submarkets. This resulted in a programme that was just as diverse as the topics that AI is currently raising for the industry.

Numerous partners from the media and digital industry were involved in the development of the programme to ensure that the content was practical and needs-oriented.

This year's conference partners are: Bauer Media Group, believe Digital, Carlsen Verlag, dpa deutsche Presse-Agentur, Funke Mediengruppe, RTL Deutschland, Spiegel-Verlag, Territory, pilot, knk and Zeit Verlagsgruppe. The ARIC (Artificial Intelligence Centre Hamburg) and MOIN Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein are also among the supporters.