The AI Commission should use the time and continue its work 

AI

If there was one thing the AI Commission was clear about when it launched its report, it was that it was urgent. The Commission also emphasized that this was why they submitted the report prematurely. TechSverige now suggests that the Commission further contributes to enabling important efforts by actually continuing to work during the time remaining in their mandate.

The AI Commission prematurely submitted its report Roadmap for Sweden on November 26, 2024. This means that the committee has about another six months before the work is formally completed, while there are issues that require further investigation.  

The AI Commission made 75 proposals in a number of areas. It is urgent that the government expeditiously takes these proposals forward. The Commission itself can assist in this work in the time remaining, both by investigating certain issues further and by addressing important issues that were not included in the original terms of reference. 

TechSverige proposes that the AI Commission utilize the remaining time and that the government also decides on an additional directive to the AI Commission that extends the mandate to, among other things  

  • make proposals to exempt designated public sector datasets from charges 
  • develop a strategy for AI in primary schools including recommendations on how to use AI in primary schools and how to teach AI to prepare young people for tomorrow's job market 
  • develop the modalities and propose the detailed mission of the proposed task force to assist the public sector in working with AI to include business actors. 

The AI Commission's report describes in detail the need to increase access to public data, among other things, to contribute to AI development in Sweden. However, the Commission did not make any detailed proposals on how increased access to data should be financed. 

The original Directive does not adequately address the issue of competences in schools, and consequently neither does the Commission's report. Therefore, the mandate should be extended to cover AI in schools. 

The Commission has proposed a task force to assist the public sector in working with AI. That mission should be extended, where appropriate, to private actors and the interface between the private and public sectors. The reasons for deepening the proposal for a task force include contributing to reduced compliance costs (for both the private and public sectors), contributing to the development of advice and guidelines centrally, and increasing the pace of AI development in Sweden.  

The AI Commission proposed a task force, a task force and a staff position to start urgent work on AI in Sweden. Shouldn't the AI Commission set an example by continuing its work during the remaining time of its mandate? For the good of Sweden.

Pia Högset
Business policy expert, TechSverige

Peter Kjäll
Business policy expert, TechSverige

Fredrik Sand
Business policy expert, TechSverige