Bavaria and Vienna in the race: gigafabriken for AI and right to repair!

Bavaria and Vienna in the race: gigafabriken for AI and right to repair!

Wien, Österreich - Violent debates and important decisions currently shape European and local politics. The focus is particularly on topics such as the right to repair and the planned AI gigafabrics in Bavaria and Vienna.

In the USA, Texas recently the first republican state passed a law that strengthens the right to repair digital devices. From September 1, 2026, manufacturers in Texas must ensure that their products can be repaired, which also applies to devices from a price of $ 50. Six other states, including California and New York, have already established similar regulations. This could be a trend that also reverberates in Europe. Bavaria and Vienna have applied for EU subsidies of up to 20 billion euros for the construction of AI giga abrasions, whereby the private sector will take over a significant part of the financing.

The right to repair in Europe

On Tuesday, the EU Parliament decided to repair the right to repair with an overwhelming majority of 584 to 3 votes. This law not only obliges manufacturers to carry out repairs inexpensively and promptly, but also to actively inform consumers about their right to repair. Devices such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners and smartphones must be repaired even after the warranty period has expired. The amendment to the law aims to avoid 261 million tons of CO2 equivalent due to early disposal and thus make a significant contribution to combating climate change. Consumers should benefit from the new regulation, which also includes the promotion of repairs by vouchers and information campaigns.

The manufacturers are explicitly encouraged to provide spare parts and repair tools at reasonable prices. Consumers are particularly important: the costs and the expected duration of the repair must be visible on the manufacturers' websites. In this context, a European online platform is also set up, which should provide an overview of local repair service providers. These measures could not only promote environmental protection, but also boost the economy, with the new guideline estimated to trigger up to 4.8 billion euros in growth in the EU.

outlook and challenges

A look into the future shows that the EU Commission would like to be able to make further details on the age review on the Internet next July. In the meantime there is a lobby dispute between large companies, such as Apple and Google, on the one hand and meta as well as porn providers on the other, about the implementation of these age tests.

Apple has also announced that the support for Rosetta 2 by autumn 2027 could have significant consequences for users of older intel-based macs.

Overall, the resolutions and initiatives in the area of ​​the right to repair and promote artificial intelligence in Austria and Bavaria are under a good star. It remains to be seen how these developments will actually affect consumers and the environment.