Norway is actively advancing its AI and data innovation strategies through a variety of initiatives, each aimed at fostering a robust digital ecosystem and ensuring responsible AI use. Since 2017, the Ministry of Transport has been leading the charge with the Act on Testing Self-Driving Vehicles, allowing the testing of autonomous vehicles to promote this transformative technology. The Inter-Ministerial Working Party on AI, established in 2018, coordinates AI policy initiatives across sectors, fostering a comprehensive and integrated approach to AI development. It supports diverse policy areas, including the digital economy, education, health, and transport. In 2019, the Norwegian Data Protection Authority released the “AI and Privacy Report” to address AI’s challenges to privacy regulation, offering recommendations for safeguarding data. This initiative underscores principles like fairness, transparency, and accountability, ensuring that AI developments do not compromise individual rights.
Norway’s National Strategy for AI, initiated in 2020, aims to build world-class AI infrastructure, promote data sharing, and position Norway as a leader in AI applications across various sectors, including health, energy, and public administration. The strategy emphasizes ethical AI development, data protection, and cybersecurity. Along with that the Norwegian Resource Centre for Sharing Data, and the Regulatory Sandbox on AI, established in 2020, allows enterprises to develop and test AI solutions within a framework that ensures data protection and regulatory compliance, fostering innovation while maintaining high ethical standards.
These initiatives collectively illustrate Norway’s comprehensive approach to fostering a sustainable, ethical, and innovative AI and data ecosystem, positioning the country as a leader in responsible AI development and data-driven innovatio