Although not too visible when you are there, the Bay Area has certainly become the center of attention for AI. Part of the success story is due to strong universities like Stanford and Berkeley, but cultural and strategic elements also play a role. Since the beginning of the semiconductor industry, the Bay Area has managed to build and reinforce a robust ecosystem for researchers, tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and investors.
So, what is Europe doing now to establish an alternative to US dominance in AI? Quite a lot, in my opinion. The implementation of the AI Act will be significant. Regulation may both nurture and hinder innovation, and it will be interesting to see how the AI act will be implemented to nurture innovation and research. There is also increased investment in European infrastructure, and we already have the world's third-largest supercomputer (LUMI) in Europe. We also see that EU research and innovation calls are more targeted: 2023 was the year of large language models, these models are evolving beyond language, moving towards multimodality. The EU wants to catch up, and it seems clear that building large multimodal models is one strong ambition. These models will have new sensory modalities and they will be developed within a good ethical and legal framework, focusing on transparency and openness.
A lot has happened in Norway as well. The government has announced a billion Norwegian kroner for AI, appointed a new Minister of Digitalisation and Public Governance, and the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) will be fully financed. Much of this, I believe, was due to the launch of ChatGPT by the end of last year, which impressed many, including politicians and society at large. These larger models are important and will become fundamental infrastructure for society. We must increase our skills and research capacity on large language models and multimodal models in Norway. And not just the technological aspects! These models will have significant implications for society.
The NORA consortium has proven to be a useful construct to strengthen Norwegian research, education and innovation within AI. I must say that we have the best administration in the world! I want to thank Birte, Synne, Anam, Sachin, Alex, Kushtrim, and Michael for their excellent contributions in 2023. You are doing an amazing job! However, the most vital part of the NORA consortium is the researchers, and we really appreciate the work many of you do to strengthen the Norwegian community. Our job, both in the NORA secretariat and as researchers, is to strengthen Norwegian AI research, education, and innovation. We are aiming for Norwegian excellence. Together.
In recent weeks, as a member of the advisory committee for the 'AI billion', I have pondered even more than usual on how to strengthen Norwegian AI research, build competence, and attract talent. I believe Norway has some strong advantages. We have good data sources, a high degree of digitalization, and through Sigma2, the Norwegian AI Cloud, and the universities, we also have decent computing power. Not to mention our research community with many strong and relatively young researchers. In the realm of AI, values are important. Upon which values should we build our research and foundational models? Norway has strong democratic traditions, a society built on trust, and we are well known for a robust welfare system and our efforts for peace. Many are also attracted to Norway due to the Norwegian nature and our work-life balance. We have our mountains and fjords, and especially the fjords have been important for Norway. We must discuss the fjords! The Norwegian fjords have not only functioned as essential infrastructure, but they have also been hubs of idea exchange and served as trade centers. These locations have facilitated cultural exchanges and have played a significant role in safety and defense.
Based on the Norwegian values, I believe we can do great AI research and attract bright AI minds if the AI billion is invested in visible and well-coordinated initiatives. Ambitious initiatives may also attract industry, investors and other ministries to invest and strengthen this important field. We live in an exciting time for AI and human history. Let's continue to work hard, stay focused, and impress the world with what we can achieve in Norway. We may not become the new Silicon Valley, but we can definitely become the world’s most attractive AI Fjord!
I wish you all a peaceful and relaxing Christmas, and I cannot wait to see what 2024 will bring!
Klas