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National Strategies

The Artificial Intelligence Programme, launched in May 2017, prioritises actions aimed at enhancing Finland's position in the global of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and build partnerships with national, European and international stakeholders. Other objectives include showcasing Finland's potential for innovation and business development, especially when it comes to AI, and supporting the competitiveness of the Finnish industrial and technology sectors.

According to the AI Programme, developed and coordinated by the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, labour markets and citizens should prepare for the disruptive effect that AI poses in education. To address this challenge, the Programme aims to strengthen the role of lifelong learning and adapt education and vocation education and training (VET) systems so that they are able to respond to increased demand for skilled and highly-educated workforce.

Within this context, Finland's Artificial Intelligence Programme prioritises actions and initiatives on innovative approaches in AI and machine learning and continuously upgrades and improves technical infrastructure and the deployment of 5G technology. Through this approach, the Programme aims to optimise education and modernise it to achieve better results. Within the framework of the Programme, a variety of additional training activities and opportunities for citizens, labour force, education professionals and students, and digital experts. 

Key priorities

  • Enhance business competitiveness through the use of AI.
  • Effectively utilise data in all sectors and speed up the deployment of 5G technology in Finland and Europe. 
  • Ensure that AI can be adopted, developed and applied to deliver concrete AI methods and solutions in a quick and facilitated way. 
  • Retain top-level expertise, attract digital talents and experts in the field of AI and Machine learning, and promote leadership and entrepreneurial skills. 
  • Prioritise investment in the public services system and its further and continuous development.
  • Establish new models and forms of collaboration and support the development of partnerships between stakeholders on a national level. 
  • Make Finland a forerunner in the age of artificial intelligence and improve resilience to disruptive effects of the technology. 
  • Steer AI development into a trust-oriented, human-centric direction, based on the rule of law and prepare for future security challenges. 

Strategy Details

Target audience
Digital skills for the labour force.
Digital skills for ICT professionals and other digital experts.
Digital skills in education.
Digital skills for all
Digital technology / specialisation
Geographic scope - Country
Finland
Target language
English
Finnish
Geographical sphere
National initiative
Timeline/roadmap
Adoption - 2017. Actions for period 2017-2025
Budget

The programme's initiatives are financed from Finland's state budget, as well as through EU funding and private investment.

Stakeholder Involvement

Stakeholders from Government, Academy, NGO and private sector of Finland are actively involved. The work is coordinated by the  Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, other partners include Aalto University, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions, Ministry of Finance, KT Local Government Employers, Parliament of Finland ,  Labour Institute for Economic Research,  Prime Minister’s Office, Confederation of Finnish Industries and others .