Caroline Andersson, CEO Governo
I think we all feel for Sweden and the rest of the world in the challenging situation we now find ourselves in. Some work in the sectors that are now under severe pressure, while others in industries that may be able to help in various ways. In Sweden, we have world-leading expertise in AI and IT - which could now contribute to solutions to some of the toughest challenges that now need to be solved. We at Governo started discussing this - and then chose to start last Thursday by going out to the five largest AI companies with a question if they would like to join. All of them immediately said yes - and since then, work has been underway to identify challenges and initiatives.
What do you hope it will lead to - in the short and long term?
We hope that this initiative - which we are presenting as part of #vitecherupp - can be a contribution from a strong industry in Sweden to the sectors that are currently under extreme pressure. The aim is to encourage AI and IT companies to think about what they could do in the crisis - to take pressure off the system and allow our authorities to make the best possible decisions. In some cases, it may only be a hands-on approach that is needed - but that's good enough! In the long term, we hope we can look back on this as an initiative that unleashed the power of innovation in Sweden - and directed it towards the public sector at a time when it was needed most.
How do you think AI/analytics can help solve the challenges Sweden is facing?
There are already a number of challenges - many of which are now front-page news. These include new ways of tracking infections, opportunities to redirect the supply of materials, better triage in healthcare, securing websites and other channels so that they are available under pressure and strain, for remote work and teaching - yes, pretty much all the issues we now have to solve. By being able to use AI solutions - and for that matter also classic IT solutions - we can help shorten lead times, increase the quality of services, get a basis for better decisions, etc.
What support are you hoping for from the government and relevant authorities?
We believe that much of this can be done by the actors who are already involved - several initiatives are already ready and communicated, where companies have also chosen to give away and offer services and solutions for free for a certain period of time. What we may need are contact persons at authorities who, for example, can assist with data - dialogues are now underway on this. It is important to say that we absolutely do not want to disturb the people who work most intensively in crisis management - this is intended to facilitate. It may also be the case that some of the solutions need some core funding, for example to compensate for the time spent by data analysts and others.
Can more companies join the initiative? How do you go about it?
The idea is that each organization will project manage its own initiative - if you need support and guidance, you can contact us at vitecherupp@governo.se. Governo's role will be to help with contact creation and some investigative support.