Prime Minister Orpo hosts roundtable discussion on artificial intelligence

Prime Minister Orpo hosts roundtable discussion on artificial intelligence

On 13 November, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo met with representatives of the technology sector to discuss the opportunities artificial intelligence has to offer for Finland and Finnish businesses.

The aim of the discussion was to offer the Prime Minister a range of measures that could advance Finland's position as a user and developer of artificial intelligence. The event was a follow-up to a roundtable discussion on artificial intelligence hosted by the Prime Minister in spring 2024.

The event at Kesäranta opened with talks by Director-General of Traficom Jarkko Saarimäki and Senior Vice President of AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) Keith Strier. Saarimäki focused on the implementation of the EU Artificial Intelligence Regulation, while Strier shed light on future prospects and strategic measures for the use of artificial intelligence at the national level.

In the discussion, Prime Minister Orpo highlighted the importance of smooth regulation and stressed that the regulation directed at businesses must be clear, predictable and proportionate. Orpo also emphasised the central role of well-functioning cooperation between public authorities as a driver of productivity and economic growth through the use of artificial intelligence. In Orpo's view, the public sector should harness the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence in a variety of applications, including to improve its own productivity.

"The challenges related to coordinating the work of public authorities must not be a bottleneck for development. Our ability to make use of future opportunities depends on smooth, well-coordinated cooperation between the authorities and businesses. An entrepreneur-friendly and inspiring environment is one where businesses and citizens are not discouraged by an excessive administrative burden," Orpo emphasised.

A key priority of Petteri Orpo's Government is to strengthen Finland's position as a technological frontrunner that makes full use of the opportunities of the digital transformation and artificial intelligence while maintaining a human-centric approach.

Inquiries: Henrik Vuornos, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, Prime Minister's Office, tel. +358 50 408 44 22