Swedish companies consider sustainability the most important aspect of their AI strategy

Almost half of the Swedish companies monetize using AI, and for more than half of them, sustainability is the most important factor in their AI strategy. These are some of the findings in the new Global Data Insights Survey, which includes respondents from 100 Swedish companies.

Investments in AI continue to increase and according to an IDC forecast, they are predicted to more than triple by the year 2027 – although the EU's new AI law and GDPR regulations will play a large role in how AI development continues within Europe.

AI has a multitude of uses – everything from improving customer experiences, analyzing data better and faster to predicting risks and creating new ways of working. Swedish companies have also come a long way in their AI development, findings in the new edition of the Global Data Insights Survey shows, where 100 Swedish companies were asked about how they use data and AI.

Many companies use data

In order to be able to use AI, access to good data is essential. Almost all Swedish companies (94%) have a strategy for data in some form. More than half (55 percent) have an active data strategy that is already in place, while 39 percent have a data strategy that is in an early phase. Only 6% have a data strategy that is only in the planning stage.

How far have the Swedish companies come in applying AI actively in their operations? Just over 1 in 3 companies (45%) have launched a trained AI model. Close to half (45%) monetize using AI, the survey shows. In addition, one in three (34%) has entered the final phase to start using AI in their business. In other words, 8 out of 10 companies (79%) are well ahead in their AI strategy.

Another part of using AI for business is having sufficient infrastructure that can handle the computational power and energy required for the large amounts of data. Just over half of the Swedish companies (59%) believe that infrastructure is the most important factor, which is also in line with the rest of Europe where the figure is 57%.

Sustainability the most important issue

AI has a major environmental impact, and the issue of sustainability will play a major role in how the technology is implemented in Sweden. For more than half (55%) of Swedish companies, sustainability is the most important issue when setting up their AI strategy. In total, 9 out of 10 companies (88%) respond that sustainability affects their approach to what their AI strategy looks like. In Europe, the numbers are slightly higher, 61% see sustainability as the most important issue when setting up their AI strategy and 93% of companies say that sustainability influences the setup of their AI strategy.

Pernille Hoffmann, Managing Director Nordics at Digital Realty commented on the findings: “This study shows that a growing number of companies in Sweden are making significant progress in their AI strategies, with many already using AI to drive revenue. It's clear that sustainability is a top priority for businesses today and plays a key role in shaping AI strategies. As companies continue to integrate AI into their operations, a well-crafted data strategy focusing on robust infrastructure and interconnection will be essential to achieve real business outcomes."

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