So far over 1% of Finland’s population and a total of 140,000 students have started the free on-line training course ”Elements of AI”, and now it is time for the Swedish population to learn the basics about AI. The release of the course was announced during the opening ceremony of AI Innovation of Sweden, and comes with a challenge from the Finnish government.
Mika Lintilä, Minister of Economic Affairs from Finland
AI Innovation of Sweden together with Linköping University, Reaktor and University of Helsinki have agreed to collaborate on a swedish launch of the course. The challenge from Finland was announce by Mika Lintilä, Minister of Economic Affairs, and accepted by Anders Ygeman, Swedish Minister of Energy and Digital Development, who officially opened AI Innovation of Sweden.
”I am looking forward to the challenge and to getting even more people in Sweden to take the course than in Finland!” says Fredrik Heintz, AI researcher at Linköping University, the academic partner in Elements of AI.
“Because AI affects everyone, one of the most pressing issues is to increase understanding of and knowledge about AI. Elements of AI will allow us to significantly improve AI expertise in Sweden” Fredrik Heintz continues.
A challenge with aim of accelerating the level of knowledge within AI
Through the initiative #AIUtmaningen / #AIChallenge, companies, academia och public sector are invited to spread the word and distribute the course in there respective organisation. Several parties have already signed up, for instance SKL, CapGemini, Acando, CGI and Zenuity.
Peltarion, one of the founding partners of AI Innovation of Sweden, has been actively involved in getting the collaboration in place and Kye Andersson, Head of Brand & Communications wants to see many Swedish companies, universities and public organisations taking on the challenge.
“Elements of AI is a fantastic opportunity for every Swede to gain a basic understanding of AI. And for employers to approach the topic together with their employees” says Kye. ”AI will affect us all, and the better we understand it, the more our society will benefit from it.”
”Elements of AI” is a free on-line training course for everyone to join. Until now over 1% of Finland’s population and a total of 140,000 students have started course .
Want to raise the knowledge about AI across the world
Reaktor and University of Helsinki have great plan for Elements of AI, and Teemu Roos, Associate Professor at University of Helsinki hopes that more countries join.
“Our biggest dream is to cooperate with other countries in the world and train one per cent of the world’s entire population. I’ll admit it is an absurd goal, but why not go for it?”, says Teemu Roos.
Vinnova is financing the translation into Swedish as well as the launch in Sweden. AI Innovation of Sweden is coordinating involvement by Swedish industry, the academic world and the public sector.
