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Collaboration for AI in Municipalities and Civil Society

A city landscape in Sweden seen from above

Artificial intelligence for a better welfare

AI is a powerful tool for organizational development in all sectors of society. Since 2022, AI Sweden and Vinnova spearheading a targeted initiative for the country's municipalities and civil society organizations under the project titled Collaboration for AI in Municipalities and Civil Society, also known as 'Kraftsamlingen'. The initiative aims to provide municipalities and civil society organizations with tailored assistance to understand how AI can be used and the opportunity to seek funding for concrete projects.

Latest news:

The AI map for municipalities

Through an interactive map, Kommunkartan, users can explore the areas in which municipalities are running AI initiatives and the societal benefits these initiatives can create. The mapping aims to spread knowledge about ongoing AI efforts in Sweden and highlight where they are taking place, to foster connections and collaborations that strengthen AI development in Sweden’s municipalities.

View of kommunkartan.ai.se seen on a mock-up laptop and iphone
 

Explore the mapping at kommunkartan.ai.se.

Kommunportalen

AI Sweden, in collaboration with the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR), has launched Kommunportalen on the My AI platform — a new digital hub designed to provide municipal employees with a centralized space for developing, learning about, and collaborating on AI initiatives. By offering resources, networking opportunities, and practical use cases, the portal aims to simplify and strengthen AI efforts across municipalities.

The national conference of “Kraftsamlingen”

Answers to legal questions surrounding AI applications, increased industry collaboration, and methods for scaling culture and leadership - these are the key needs that emerged during the Collaboration for AI in Municipalities and Civil Society’s conference, according to Rebecka Lönnroth.

We have collected takeaways and recordings of all the interesting on-stage discussions as well as some of the conversations held around the tables. 

A picture from the conference, November 13, 2024. Karin Hübinette on stage in front of the audience
 

Three Pillars of the Project

The main results of ‘Kraftsamlingen’ can be grouped into three overarching areas:

The AI council

Representatives from twelve of the country's municipalities work on strategic issues for Swedish municipalities, identifying common opportunities, challenges, and needs.

Use cases

With funding from Vinnova, a number of municipalities and civil society organizations are working on diverse AI projects at different levels. These projects not only strengthen the AI competence of the participating organizations but also generate valuable lessons for others.

Tools

The AI Compass consolidates many of the lessons learned from the project in a tool that will help individual organizations get started practically, regardless of their current AI maturity and experience.

Background

Municipalities and civil society organizations face new challenges, partly due to an aging population and increased competition for workers. As a result, managers and other decision-makers need to find alternative ways for their organizations to fulfill their missions. This is where artificial intelligence plays a crucial role, as a tool for improving efficiency and meeting expectations and demands. However, since artificial intelligence is a new toolset, its proper use is not immediately apparent. In this context, collaboration on AI between municipalities and civil society is vital.

+50%

The number of people aged 80 or older will increase by almost 50% by 2031
Source: SKR 2022

+410,000

By 2031, the number of workers needs to increase by 410,000.
Source: SKR 2022

With the help of AI, we can develop the public welfare in new ways and more efficiently address significant societal challenges. It is essential that Sweden's municipalities and civil society organizations are part of this journey.

Darja Isaksson, Director-General of Vinnova

Within the framework of this collaboration, AI Sweden supports municipalities and civil society organizations in a number of different ways in the practical implementation. Through the project, participants receive training, attend workshops, and gain access to AI Sweden's network. For project ideas that receive funding through one of Vinnova's targeted calls, additional support will be provided during the project period.

To achieve the greatest possible impact, the ambition is to involve as many municipalities and civil society actors as possible in this collaboration. The crucial factor is not whether AI is currently being used, but rather if there's curiosity about how this entirely new toolbox can be harnessed for your operations. Does this description align with you and your organization? Get in touch!

This collaboration complements other initiatives aimed at increasing AI use in the public sector. It is carried out in cooperation with the Agency for Digital Government, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, and the Agency for Youth and Civil Society Affairs.

A Platform for Collaboration

Understanding and effectively utilizing the possibilities of artificial intelligence are challenges too complex for individual municipalities to tackle alone. Therefore, a central aspect is to create a platform for collaboration and exchange of experiences among municipalities. There are significant synergies to be gained, as the needs of one municipality often recur in many of the other 289 municipalities in the country. Similarly, while civil society encompasses a wide range of organizations, many face common challenges. This provides valuable opportunities to learn from each other and share experiences.
 

AI - an enabler for a strong society

Inspiring examples can be found across the country.  Through our ongoing efforts, we can share lessons learned to help Swedish municipalities and organizations accelerate their AI adoption. Learn more about our ongoing work:

Representatives of the AI Council and other esteemed panelists visited AI Sweden's garden in Almedalen and offered new knowledge about AI in Sweden's municipalities during the program item ‘From vision to reality for AI in Sweden's municipalities’

Projects

Many exciting projects are underway as part of the AI in Municipalities and Civil Society Initiative. Some of the projects explore, for example, using AI to review building permits, supporting decision-making in social services, and chatting to increase citizen participation.

A picture of a laptop with the website My AI showing
 

Podcast

Discover our collection of inspiring podcast episodes related to Kraftsamlingen:

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In this conversation, from Internetdagarna 2023, we hear Åse Andersson from Linköping Municipality, Ylva Christiansson from Friends, and Veronica Kennet from the Swedish Folkbildning share their lessons learned. Rebecka Lönnroth and moderator Anders Thoresson from AI Sweden also participated.
 

Keep me updated on Kraftsamlingen!

We regularly send out information about what is happening in Kraftsamlingen, with tips on relevant events, experiences from the projects funded by Vinnova, and more. If this sounds interesting, please share your contact details with us.

Follow Kraftsamlingen on My AI!

The My AI platform is designed specifically for the AI ecosystem—think of it as a 'LinkedIn for AI.' It's a place to get inspired, share knowledge, network, and showcase your organization's work and what's coming up next. We have our hub where we post relevant posts about what's happening in Kraftsamlingen.

For more information, contact

A portrait of Rebecka Lönnroth at AI Sweden
Rebecka Lönnroth
Head of AI Adoption - Public Sector
+46 (0)729-65 10 80
Andreas Skog portrait photo
Andreas Skog
AI Change Agent
+46 (0)73-819 08 63

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