The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland (also known as TEM) launched a steering group in November 2020 to speed up the introduction of artificial intelligence and promote the fourth industrial revolution.
This project was initiated by Mika Lintilä, Minister of Economic Affairs, with Jussi Herlin being tasked to lead the steering group and present an action plan. The main aim was to make Finland a winner in the twin transition (when a green and digital transition occur concurrently).
There have already been two reports published as part of this project – “From start-up to implementation” in April 2021 and “Finland to become a winner in a twin transition” in December 2021. The final report – “Finland as a leader in the twin transition” – has just been published. This report establishes a key goal: the country’s industry will be clean, efficient and digital in 2030 upon the completion of certain objectives.
This report in now available as a PDF (824KB) in Finnish and is worth reading in full. In this article, we’ve highlighted some of the key discussion points and objectives outlined.
Investments in leading technologies
Finland cannot compete internationally without investment in leading technologies. These include not just artificial intelligence but wireless information networks (5G and 6G) and quantum technology among others. Additionally, money needs to be put towards investments into quality research, as well as experiment and testing environments.
Preparing SMEs for a new era
Industrial SMEs are a core part of the country’s economy, but they face obstacles such as scarce resources and a lack of know-how. The digital capabilities of SMEs must be increased significantly. To do this, the threshold for the adoption of new platforms and software must be lowered, and the volume of usable infrastructure and computing capacity should be increased.
Opportunities to be seen as a global pioneer
Cooperation with European and transatlantic partners is crucial. Thanks to the expertise within its own ecosystem, Finnish companies should have the ability to participate in and influence transatlantic technology and trade policy discussions in specific sectors. Additionally, when it comes to decision-making at an EU-level, RDI projects and networks, Finnish companies should be strengthening their role in this area.
Meeting the demand for green solutions
Not only can Finnish companies reduce their own carbon footprint, but they will also be in a position to offer low-carbon solutions to external companies and organisations. As more territories and markets across the world look towards turning their own economies green, Finnish companies would be well-placed to gain a significant advantage in the way of demand for solutions and products.