Ramping up research on artificial intelligence

The centre, along with the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, has become a partner of AI Innovation of Sweden. Founded in February 2019, AI Innovation of Sweden is a national initiative designed to “serve as an engine in the Swedish AI ecosystem”. Based in Gothenburg, the initiative will provide resources, knowledge and data to accelerate applied AI research and innovation. It will link businesses to academia and the public sector.

“These technologies are phenomenally powerful. They will increasingly shape our world – and our planet. It is really important that artificial intelligence is cognizant of the state of the planet,” says Victor Galaz, deputy director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC). He is also programme director at the Beijer Institute and its new programme “Governance, Technology and Complexity”.

“This means those developing the algorithms should be aware of this new power and responsibility,” he added. “The centre, together with the Beijer Institute is ramping up its research in how innovative technology like AI might both support and undermine transformations to sustainability.”

Purpose and objectives

AI Innovation of Sweden’s objectives include accelerating applied AI research and innovation through collaboration and cross-industry sharing, developing methods and infrastructure for managing and using large quantities of data with strong focus on security, i.e. doing this in a controlled and reliable way and promoting responsible use of AI and the development of unbiased tools.

The purpose of the new partnership, effective as of 11 June 2019, is to explore the broad biosphere sustainability dimensions of the rapid progress and applications of artificial intelligence in society. By linking to leading AI thinkers and doers in Sweden, SRC, together with the Beijer Institute, aims to develop a new research agenda and collaborations in this rapidly developing issue.

“We are delighted to be able to continue to develop the thinking and science formulated by us in 2015 in the 'Biosphere Code' . Such principles for the deployment of new forms of artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly important as these technologies evolve.”