Emma is not Germany

When I saw the "You Are Germany" campaign in the early 2000s, I was fascinated. The colorful posters, the inspiring slogans, and the feeling of being part of something bigger truly reached me. Back then, it seemed possible to promote a positive patriotism that aimed to strengthen courage and self-confidence without appearing exclusionary.

Today, two decades later, I can hardly imagine such a campaign having the same effect. As a humanist and a convinced (at least) European, I see the world differently. The political climate in Germany has changed, and the concept of "German identity" has become more complex and controversial than ever before.

Emma is born into this changed reality. Emma is Germany's first official AI influencer. As the new brand ambassador of the German National Tourist Board, she represents the "cultural diversity of our country in a completely new way." The phrase regarding the "beauty of our country" is to be taken seriously here. Agency head Florian Hübner presented Emma on LinkedIn a few days ago. He proudly emphasizes that it was a privilege to have contributed to Emma's conception and creation. From his perspective, Emma has the potential to elevate Germany's tourism industry to a new level.

What followed was allegedly the scandal of the year. Pain can be so beautiful. I haven't read all 3,000+ comments myself, but I was one of the nearly 1,000 debaters on LinkedIn who voiced their opinions in writing. This article is written after Florian Hübner enthusiastically spoke up because he felt compelled to disclose all details about Emma due to the numerous rebuttals. With a shiver down his spine, mind you. His statement, which has been online for five days now, exudes an adapted technological determinism that forces me to provide culturally informed tutoring.

Emma is not Germany - A Critical Look at AI Tourism

At the beginning of 2024, the German National Tourist Board introduced Emma, Germany's first official AI influencer. Developed as a digital brand ambassador, she was created to represent Germany's cultural diversity and attract tourists. However, this attempt at digital representation raises serious concerns about authenticity and national identity.

While Emma's creators celebrate her as a technological breakthrough in tourism marketing, she embodies a problematic approach to nation representation. Despite her extensive data models, the AI avatar reduces Germany's rich complexity to a stereotypical, artificially perfect digital construct.

The criticism of Emma focuses on three main aspects: her clichéd portrayal, an oversimplified representation of Germany beyond its famous landmarks, and the fundamental inadequacy of capturing a nation's essence through AI. Emma does not represent reality, but rather a sanitized, algorithmic fantasy of what Germany should be.

At a time when national identity is more complex and disputed than ever, such digital simplifications appear particularly misplaced. True identity does not lie in data representations but in the contradictory, chaotic, and deeply human experiences that shape a nation and its people.

Emma may be a campaign, but she is not Germany. She is merely a digital fairy tale, as real as Snow White - she exists only on our screens and marketing materials, far removed from the authentic German experience tourists seek.

Who is Emma really?

Emma is an AI avatar based on extensive data models. Florian Hübner explains how Emma is technically created if you follow the links. My focus is on something else. Emma is supposed to represent German reality, yet paradoxically she creates a new form of reality in the process. A reality that often lags behind human intuition and experience, despite all the data and algorithms.

The irony is that Emma, although she is meant to represent "Germany," is not Germany. She is a construct, a digital mirror. A strained attempt to resemble us. The result is, politely put, a cliché or, for those who prefer the vulgar form, a fantasy of a digital fairy that wishes to play a successful role in a fairy tale book. Because that is all this campaign is. An extended reality that, just like Snow White, can make being out of appearance. Snow White is true. She is part of our reality. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. She exists - but only in our fairy tale books, our fantasies, and in the movie "7 Dwarves - Men Alone in the Woods" by the comedian Otto.

In this land, some seek identities and others seek belonging. Perhaps Emma is just a contingent failure we will forget in a few days if the campaign flops. If I'm wrong, I will acknowledge that my assessment was incorrect and admit my mistake. Or Emma inadvertently allows us to realize: True identity does not lie in a representation of our data. Our actions are found not only in our algorithms but in the complex, often contradictory experiences that make us human. We are humans because we possess an error-prone engagement with the world, which we consciously encounter. That makes us the solution-oriented species to which I do not count Emma. She is a campaign. Nothing more.

Emma as a Media Trickster

A large part of the criticism - including my own - focuses on three main aspects. The clichéd portrayal of the entire campaign. Emma is so excessively "AI-pretty" that many of us suspect that Germany is presenting itself as a fraud package. We must take into account that Germany does not consist only of landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate or Neuschwanstein Castle. The inadequacy of the data model, which does not do justice to reality and thus appears unsuitable for adequately representing the country's tourist richness, seems naive given its praise by its creator.

This digital framing of Germany will not be a success. If the campaign gains attention, it is probably only because curious individuals want to verify the mentioned deficits. All others are victims of the media trickster.

We remember. There once was a "You Are Germany" campaign that no one dares to attempt today and that we no longer need. Emma - in any case - is not Germany.