SAP and OpenAI are launching "OpenAI for Germany," an AI platform for Germany's public sector, built on Microsoft Azure and run by SAP's Delos Cloud subsidiary.
The service is set to launch in 2026. SAP plans to roll out an infrastructure with 4,000 GPUs in Germany and could scale up if demand grows. The goal is to bring AI into government and research. According to both companies, the platform will meet strict standards for data sovereignty, security, and legal compliance.
But running on Azure brings up questions about digital sovereignty. Under the US Cloud Act, US authorities can access data held by American companies "in their possession, custody, or control, regardless of whether such communication, record, or other information is located within or outside of the United States." Because Microsoft falls under this law, it's unclear how fully German government data is protected from foreign access.
EU data sovereignty with US support?
A testimony under oath before the French Senate on June 10, 2025 brings the issue into focus. When asked whether Microsoft would have to hand over data if legally required by the US government, Microsoft France lawyer Anton Carniaux answered: "Lorsque nous sommes obligés de les donner, nous les donnons." ("If we are obliged to give them, we give them.")
Pressed on whether he could guarantee that French citizens' data sent to Microsoft through the central procurement office Ugap would never be passed to the US without approval from French authorities, Carniaux said under oath: "Non, je ne peux pas le garantir." ("No, I can't guarantee that.") He noted that such a case has never happened before.
Carniaux's remarks refer to how Microsoft has handled these requests under past US administrations, which have generally shown restraint. Whether that will continue in the current political climate is uncertain, and no guarantees were offered.
