A country that leads in artificial intelligence is a country with competitive businesses and efficient public services. Sweden may not have the biggest AI giants at home, but we do have a smorgasbord of qualities that can make us a strong AI nation. So how can we make the best use of them?
Sweden has long been at the top of European and global digitalisation indices, and we rank second in the world in innovation. With these credentials, it would not be far-fetched to assume that our country would also be at the top of the list when comparing countries' AI development. A modest 17th place in the Global AI Index 2023 stands out - shouldn't Sweden have the potential to go further?
– If that's the ranking you should be looking at, we have a huge potential to get higher up the list. I don't really believe in running a society to be high on a ranking list. It should be on top of doing good things, said Hanifeh Khayyeri, head of the computer science department at RISE.
Going forward, she says, we need to build on and develop Sweden's strengths. There are certain things in Swedish society that make us unique in the world. That is where our competitive advantages lie.
– One example of this is that we are an unusually trusting country, both between people and in our democratic institutions. Sweden is also a country where values form the basis of our actions, we want to be an ethical party in the global context, says Hanifeh Khayyeri.
Sweden has the potential to become a test-bed for innovation.
Another Swedish strength is the widespread use of digital technologies. Swedes use digital services several times per day. We are generally curious about new solutions, and we trust and demand that the digital services launched by our banks and public authorities are secure.
– Sweden is also unique when it comes to various registry data, such as the national authority registries and quality registries. There is a huge amount of data and metadata, data that is extremely valuable when working with AI services or applications, says Hanifeh Khayyeri, continuing:
– All of these things that characterise Sweden are prerequisites for becoming a strong AI nation. Sweden has the potential to become a testbed for AI innovation, where companies can test new AI services, products and business models in the Swedish market.
Behind every AI service and application, there is a value chain that is often overshadowed by the groundbreaking end result. This includes manufacturers of hardware and middleware, but also players that connect the digital infrastructure to society's energy supply system. Companies and organisations with this kind of niche expertise are located in Sweden, and can therefore play a crucial role in global competitiveness in the future.
Hanifeh Khayyeri highlights the importance of digital infrastructure within the country's borders, if Sweden is to become a more advanced AI country. It's not only about efficient data transfer and management, but also about ensuring that certain data and calculations can't leave Sweden. This means that there has to be capacity within the country.
There is no need to worry that the train has left the station, but we need to shift up a gear now.
Swedish society is ready
At the time of writing (summer 2024), the government has not finalised a national strategy for AI. Sweden lags behind in the 'government strategy' category, which compares the commitment of different governments to AI. At the same time, there are countries that rank higher than Sweden in the overall AI index with even worse scores in 'Government Strategy' - so it doesn't seem to be decisive. It is also worth noting that we are at the top when it comes to public opinion on intelligent technology.
– My impression is that Swedes and Swedish companies want to start with AI, but there is uncertainty related to the fast pace of change in the market and future regulations. They don't want to make mistakes, which means they are waiting to take the big steps, says Hanifeh Khayyeri.
Competence along the entire value chain
The main argument for unleashing the power and increasing the use of AI in business and the public sector is that AI can help us do our jobs better and more efficiently. When we automate repetitive and time-consuming administrative or machine tasks, productivity and cost-effectiveness increase. When we use a combination of AI solutions and more traditional analytical methods to harness data and accumulated experience, we can make informed decisions and accurate predictions.
– It's about starting. We're on a transformative journey, which means that everyone is going to start doing things now that they haven't done before and aren't very good at. If you don't know how to start, let's sit down and talk about it. RISE has expertise along the entire AI value chain and can help you with everything from digital infrastructure and cutting-edge AI technologies to less technical things like innovation and change management and regulatory frameworks for AI, says Hanifeh Khayyeri.
– There is no need to worry that the train has left the station, but we need to step up a gear now.
Global AI Index: Sweden on top and in the middle
The Global AI Index compares 62 countries around the world based on their level of investment, innovation and implementation of artificial intelligence. Countries are scored according to different categories. Unsurprisingly, the United States is at the top of the list when the different scores are combined. Sweden ranks 17th. Here's how Sweden ranks, category by category.
- Talent: 15
- Infrastructure: 21
- Operating Environment: 2
- Research: 13
- Development: 17
- Government Strategy: 44
- Commercial: 16