The Swedish Minister for Social Services visits AI Sweden: "It's crucial that we harness the potential of AI technology."
Politics has an important role to play in realizing the value of AI within healthcare. That was the message when Minister for Social Services, Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M), visited AI Sweden on Wednesday. National guidance, long-term collaboration structures, and skills development are some of the keys to successfully scaling up and implementing the many ongoing initiatives.
Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M) and representatives from AI Sweden. Pictured from left: Rebecka Lönnroth, Lorna Bartram, Moa Tivell, Camilla Waltersson Grönvall, Jonatan Permert and Martin Svensson. Photo: Lindholmen Science Park.
During her visit to AI Sweden's office in Stockholm, the Minister for Social Services was given a comprehensive overview of how AI is being used in the public sector, with a specific focus on healthcare and social services.
"It's crucial that we harness the potential of AI technology to strengthen Swedish welfare. AI Sweden's work and resources are important for understanding both the potential and the obstacles we need to remove," said Minister for Social Services, Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M).
Hundreds of Projects—But the Value Is Missing
AI Sweden presented insights from "Vårdkartan," a national mapping of AI initiatives in healthcare. The report shows that hundreds of projects are underway in Sweden's regions, but the real value is not being realized as only 16 percent of the initiatives are fully implemented in their operations. The ones that have been implemented primarily focus on streamlining administration and increase the quality within medical imaging diagnostics.
A similar picture is emerging in social services, where many municipalities are exploring AI to meet future challenges. Of over 1,000 identified initiatives in AI Sweden's AI map for municipalities, 148 AI initiatives are linked to social services, healthcare, and elder care in 88 municipalities. The main areas of use are decision support, automation of case management, and digital assistants.
We're seeing hundreds of AI initiatives in Sweden's regions and municipalities, but the real value only happens with broad implementation. To get there, we need bolder leadership, national guidance, and incentives for collaboration.
Rebecka Lönnroth
Head of AI Adoption Public Sector at AI Sweden
Guidelines and Collaboration Are Required
To accelerate development, a national effort is needed. For both healthcare and social services, there is a demand for clear guidelines and practical direction to reduce legal uncertainty. In addition, stronger collaboration structures are necessary so that successful solutions can be spread nationally, along with a broad investment in AI skills for employees and managers.
AI can bring great value to the public sector, but it won't be realized on its own. To succeed, the right conditions need to be in place, from national guidance to long-term structures for collaboration and skills development. This is where politics has a decisive role, both in providing direction and in creating the necessary incentives.
Moa Tivell
Senior Public Policy Manager at AI Sweden
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