In an article published in Dagens Industri on 30 September, Björn Rosengren argues that the government has abdicated its responsibility for AI research. This is an important and clear contribution to the debate on AI. KTH is ready to take responsibility for its part.
The debate on AI has become increasingly heated recently, with a wide range of comments on the necessary actions in various sectors and the responsibility of policymakers in addressing this fundamental societal issue. Rosengren highlights something that we at the universities have recognised for a long time. The Swedish AI debate focuses on data centres and energy, the need for venture capital, scaling up new business ideas and reforming primary and secondary education. All of this is necessary. However, the latest AI breakthroughs in fields such as mathematics demonstrate how quickly the conditions for research itself are evolving. Without world-class research and the people it trains, the infrastructure becomes empty and has no future.
New methods emerge and the next generation of engineers and researchers is shaped in research environments. It is also there that businesses and society can access the expertise needed to use AI wisely and responsibly. Unlike many other stakeholders, universities are not merely subject to the AI revolution. We have the capacity to create, drive and steer the development that is now unfolding at an ever-increasing pace.
Sweden has been fortunate in many ways. Private initiatives, not least the investments of the Wallenberg Foundations, have laid a strong foundation. However, private forces cannot fully replace the government’s long-term responsibility. The countries we compare ourselves to are now investing vigorously and strategically. If we do not match their levels of investment, we will lose both researchers and competitiveness, and it will take a long time to recover from that loss.
As soon as it takes office, the new government will have an opportunity to demonstrate its leadership. It will require courage to provide long-term and predictable resources for AI research, graduate education and the computational capacity that this research requires. KTH and Sweden’s other universities are ready to play our part. Now, policymakers must take a significant step forward by creating long-term conditions that extend beyond government formations, campaign promises and annual budget decisions.
