AWS
1.8 Recommendations: Unlocking the Nordics’ AI future
1.8.1 Maintain access to global technology providers Nordic businesses cite three top priorities for growth:
Advanced AI tools 40 %
Venture capital 38 %
Skilled talent 35 %
Confidence in Europe’ s foundations is strong – 79 % agree Europe has the infrastructure to scale globally and threequarters see it as a competitive global AI hub – but the vast majority say maintaining access to global technology providers remains critical. Sovereignty strategies should reinforce resilience without restricting interoperability or choice.
1.8.2 The simplification agenda must become an urgent priority With compliance now absorbing a significant proportion of tech spend, simplifying regulation and reducing fragmentation across the Single Market is essential to freeing up resources for AI deployment and ensuring the benefits of transformation reach businesses and the public sector alike.
1.8.3 Strengthen skills and scale the single market for AI Persistent skills shortages must be addressed jointly by government and business to prepare today’ s and tomorrow’ s workforce. A strong, open Single Market will also be vital for the scale, predictability and investment needed for the Nordics to remain not just a place to start companies, but a competitive place to scale them.
1.9 Conclusion – the window for AI transformation is narrowing
The Nordics enter the next phase with strong foundations and real momentum: AI adoption is rising, productivity gains are materialising and leading firms are deploying AI more deeply than European peers. Yet too many organisations remain at early stages, advanced use is still limited and readiness for nextgeneration AI lags outside a small group of frontrunners – a gap that risks widening as innovation cycles compress.
The challenge is ensuring AI usage translates into economy-wide transformation. This means tackling rising compliance costs, persistent skills shortages and startup scaling constraints, while preserving open access to the best global tools and partners. With stronger skills enablement programs, simpler regulation, better scaling pathways and continued openness to global innovation, the Nordics can convert today’ s momentum into lasting productivity, competitiveness and growth.
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