According to reporting published on 12 October 2023 by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), the Norwegian government – led by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre – is poised to create a new ministerial position with responsibility for digitisation and artificial intelligence (AI).
The article detailing the changes in the ministerial positions of the government says the following in its summary: “It has already been clarified between Ap [
(Labour Party) and Sp (Centre Party) that the Labour Party will get one new ministerial post in the government, namely a minister for digitisation and artificial intelligence. There are many indications that this change will come now.”
As part of a larger government reshuffle in which Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt may step down, sources tell NRK that there will be a new ministerial post. According to NRK’s sources, it has already been clarified that a government minister for digitisation and artificial intelligence will be established.
Norway had digitalisation ministers in the past: Erna Solberg made Nikolai Astrup the first of his kind in 2019. It only lasted until 2020. From 2020, it was Linda Hofstad Helleland who got the job, in combination with being district minister.
With more attention to AI, including its National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence and a vibrant startup scene focusing on AI applications, Norway is continuing its deep investment into this emerging technology.
According to Alex Moltzau writing on Medium, AI was featured across most of the budget proposals for 2024 by the Norwegian government (with 85 total mentions), as well as mentioned by all ministries except the Ministry of Children and Families, Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Fisheries, and Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.
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