Openness to technology

Openness to Technology refers to a principle in politics, science, and business that states that no specific technology should be favored or excluded from the outset when addressing societal or technical challenges. Instead, different technological paths should be considered equally and evaluated based on transparent criteria such as efficiency, sustainability, economic viability, and societal acceptance.

Core Elements of Openness to Technology:

1. Neutrality towards Solutions – no premature commitment to specific technologies.

2. Promotion of Innovation – through openness to new, even unconventional approaches.

3. Competition of Ideas – technological solutions should prevail through fair comparison.

4. Evidence-based Evaluation – technologies are examined based on comprehensible criteria.

Why is Openness to Technology currently postulated as a hope in discourse?

Currently, openness to technology is particularly in focus because it is seen as a response to polarized and deadlocked debates around major societal challenges such as the energy transition, mobility, digitization, or climate policy. In this context, it fulfills several functions:

1. Avoiding Ideological Blockades:

2. Preservation of Innovation Potential:

3. Strategic Flexibility:

4. Democratization of Decision-Making Processes:

Critical Perspectives:

However, the term is not without controversy. Critics argue that openness to technology can also be used as a political cover term – for example, to delay necessary measures or to keep established but environmentally harmful technologies alive longer. This is referred to as "delaying openness", where real innovation is not promoted, but change is avoided.