The Swedish Government must invest SEK 12.5 billion (over USD 1.14 billion) over five years to remain competitive in artificial intelligence (AI), according to the Swedish AI Commission. The commission, chaired by Carl-Henric Svanberg, former Ericsson CEO, and supported by Ericsson President and CEO Borje Ekholm as an expert, presented its Roadmap for Sweden report to Minister of Civil Affairs Erik Slottner on Tuesday, November 26.
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Role of Telecoms in AI Adoption
The report outlines 75 measures to address AI-related needs across telecoms, research, energy, data, security, and the public sector. The Commission recommends forming a task force reporting directly to the Prime Minister to oversee implementation. It estimates costs to be about SEK 2.5 billion per year for the first five years.
On telecoms, the Commission emphasised that fast and stable mobile connectivity is a prerequisite to realising the potential of AI in Sweden. However, the fragmented telecoms market and regulation, including EU regulation, were highlighted as industry challenges, according to Ericsson.
"The AI Commission sees the government's decision to appoint an inquiry to accelerate the deployment of 5G and fiber in Sweden as an important step in the right direction," the report reads, according to Ericsson. "The investigation must propose additions and adaptations to meet the requirements of the EU gigabit infrastructure regulation. This EU regulation aims to reduce the costs of the expansion of high-speed networks for electronic communication."
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Political Action for AI Development
"Sweden is lagging behind, and political action is urgent," Svanberg said, citing Sweden's drop in international AI capability rankings. The report highlights the need for an AI strategy that combines immediate action with long-term planning.
"The roadmap's ambition is to contribute to a long-term consensus on the efforts required for an increased use of AI in society in a safe and sustainable way," Svanberg stated.
"The government should quickly point out a clear direction by adopting an AI strategy, based on the Roadmap. Long-term consensus is central, but action must also be taken here and now. There is danger in delay," he adds.
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Key Recommendations
The report's main recommendations include the establishment of a task force directly under the Prime Minister, investments in public education, and AI training programs to increase knowledge across society. It stressed that AI is a societal issue, not just a technology issue.
Additional recommendations include creating a common AI infrastructure for the public sector and launching an AI workshop led by the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. These initiatives are backed by investments in research, particularly in powerful computing resources and increased cooperation between academia, business and the public sector.
Collaboration Across Sectors
The Swedish Government announced the formation of the AI Commission on December 8, 2023, with Borje Ekholm joining as an expert in January 2024. According to Ericsson, more than 150 organisations across business, politics, and the public sector were consulted during the Commission's research process.
