12 December 2023

The Swedish government is appointing an AI Commission to strengthen Swedish competitiveness and develop the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Sweden. One of the members is LiU professor Fredrik Heintz.

Portrait of Fredrik Heintz sitting on a staircase
Photographer: Anna Nilsen
Fredrik Heintz is a professor at the Department of Computer and Information Science at LiU and his research areas are artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. He has long argued that Sweden needs a comprehensive and powerful AI strategy. He now looks forward to working in the Commission.
“I hope, among other things, to contribute technological expertise in the AI field, with my experience of working with AI issues in the EU and our work at Linköping University to create university-wide AI platforms.”
 
The Commission’s work will be led by Carl-Henric Svanberg, chairman of AB Volvo, LiU alumnus and honorary doctor at LIU. The Commission includes a number of members with different skills and experiences.
 
“For me, the most important thing is that the overall result is good,” says Fredrik Heintz. “A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. Therefore, it's important to raise the lowest level and to increase the understanding in society of what AI means and how it creates benefits. This is something that LiU has begun through the course Elements of AI.”

Already started 

A further concern for Fredrik Heintz is how the Commission can ensure that the education system, at all levels, provides the right skills for the future.
 “When it comes to universities, we need to find ways to get relevant AI knowledge into all our courses, not just the technical ones that include it today.”
 
The AI Commission’s mission will be to analyse and come up with concrete proposals on how AI can advance Sweden as a leading research nation, advanced industrial nation and ambitious welfare nation. The formal work will begin in January 2024 and continue until July 2025.
“But we’ve already made a start because we think it’s so important to get things moving quickly. I’m particularly looking forward to gaining an even deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that AI creates for different parts of society.”

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