Data and AI

Better utilisation of data and artificial intelligence is key to promoting Finland’s well-being and accelerating sustainable economic growth. How do we solve the challenges and seize the opportunities data and AI offer?

Latest

What’s up?

Picks

Pilot project: Opportunities for legislative drafting to use generative AI

A man standing on a ladder is writing on a board Sitra's statement
Statement

Sitra’s statement on Finland’s cybersecurity strategy

Collection

Generative AI to support and enhance law drafting – 4 + 1 lessons from pilot projects

Collection

Digital waybills streamline logistics

Opinion

Will the AI Act solve the environmental challenges of generative AI?

Results of the work

Gaia-X Finland builds one of Europe’s leading data sharing business networks in Finland

Collection

Eight lessons from building data spaces

Collection

Business modeling and value drivers for data spaces – findings from the pilot projects

publications

Understanding the role of tokenisation in the data economy

publications

State of Finnish Data Spaces

publications

Real-world data and evidence from new medicines

news

More efficient processing of data in the health and social care system offers potential for billions in savings and better care in Finland

publications

Efficiency from data models to the social and healthcare system (summary)

publications

Finland in the Race for Quantum Advantage

news

Digital product passports – a tool for sustainable growth

articles

How to turn off recommendation algorithms on the main social media platforms

What is it about?

There has been an explosion in the volume of data worldwide. This provides opportunities for transforming the economy and society. Data can be used to produce better services and well-being, and the ability to use data is required to solve the sustainability crisis.

Our digital everyday life generates data, the refinement of which into knowledge demands a wide range of competence and resources from companies. At the same time, completely new solutions can be created and businesses can strengthen their competitiveness with their data-related expertise.

Data-related expertise is needed in different branches of public administration, in the corporate world, and in legislation, business, media and manufacturing.

A society and economy that makes use of data requires a high level of trust to be able to work. At the individual level, the right to one’s own data is considered to be a fundamental right in the digital era.

There is no time to waste in getting aboard the data economy and building its future. With the United States and China as the international front runners, Europe has some catching up to do.

In Europe, the transition to a data-driven society is founded upon European values, human orientation and fairness. The objective is technology that works for the people, a fair and competitive economy and an open, democratic and trust-based society.

Our aim is that Finland will become home to an international, pioneering, fair and sustainable data economy. Finland is alreadt recognised as a global pioneer in the use of health data thanks to the country’s high tech and health expertise, business-friendly operating environment and strong data repositories.

What are we doing?

We are promoting change in economic structures, for example through regulation and rules, and increasing decision-makers’ understanding of the data economy. We are influencing the measures that are vital to Finland’s competitiveness, bringing societal decision-makers, researchers, NGOs and trailblazing businesses from different countries together.

Our aim is to reform the data market to ensure it is sustainable and competitive by promoting the operating models of a fair data economy. We are building an understanding of the meaning of trust, with organisations sharing data for joint use under pre-agreed terms and conditions.

We are developing practical tools for businesses operating in the data market so that they can benefit from data and its shared use. And we are continuing to co-operate with Finnish and European innovation ecosystems.

In line with the EU’s digital strategy, our goal is to lay a foundation for successful digital services of the future and contribute to the emergence of an internal market for data.

We are strengthening individuals’ opportunities to exercise an influence in the use of data and digital services and enhancing data literacy in Finland. We want to make the data literacy world-class.

The monthly “Data economy situation room” online event answers practical questions and presents solutions on the data economy.

In the Well-being solutions project we will build sustainable wellbeing for the future and strengthen the use of social and health data in Finland and Europe together with the industry and public sector. We are also coordinating the TEHDAS2 joint action project to streamline the safe use of EU health data.

We are preparing new initiatives to support the development of the data economy.

What has been achieved?

We have clarified what the implementation of a fair data economy requires in practice and how trust can be built in the digital era. Between 2018 and 2021, our IHAN project developed new operating models and tools and tested their usability with pilot projects.

During 2020, we launched a IHAN project testbed. Tools built around it have facilitated the creation of a networked data economy and accelerated the development of the data economy. The IHAN project has published a Rulebook for a Fair Data Economy, among other things.

The work in the pilots has helped companies create new business with data and increased their preparedness to adapt to post-pandemic times. Also, extensive training materials have been produced for strengthening capabilities.

We have investigated the trust of individuals in digital everyday life. We created an online test for users of digital services to help people understand their own online behaviour and provide support for managing it better. Our digital footprint survey investigated the flow of data collected about individuals online, with the aid of voluntary test subjects.

We have produced numerous reports and studies on the data economy to support decision-making in Finland and in the wider EU. In addition, we have prepared opinions and statements for Finnish and EU-level strategies and legislative and other initiatives.

Co-operation with decision-makers and authorities, such as ministries and the European Commission, has been important in ensuring that due attention is paid to this new area of the economy and politics.

We accelerated the secure use of health data in partnership with public and private sector in our Health data 2030 project 2021–2023, and coordinated the EU Health TEHDAS joint action project. Our long-term work led to a coordinating role for Sitra in the follow-up project TEHDAS2.

European states and corporations have joined forces to reinforce their independence from international technology giants by launching the pan-European Gaia-X project. This aims to create rules and operating models based on European values for data ecosystems that openly share data. We coordinated the Finnish Gaia-X hub until June 2024.

Read more about the principles, frameworks and tools of a fair data economy (pdf).

Projects

topics

Well-being solutions

topics

Roadmap for a Fair Data Economy

topics

Competitiveness through data

PROJECTS

Digipower investigation

PROJECTS

Second joint action Towards the European Health Data Space – TEHDAS2

PROJECTS

Value from Nordic health data – VALO

PROJECTS

Generative AI pilot projects

PROJECTS

Digital Product Passports

PROJECTS

Study on Data Strategy 2.0

PROJECTS

Basics of the Data Economy

PROJECTS

Use of health data in RDI activities

projects

The state of development of data ecosystems and networks survey

PROJECTS

Pilot projects: Competitiveness through data

PROJECTS

Data Spaces Support Centre

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PROJECTS

Planetary health

PROJECTS

Pilot projects: Using data to curb energy use

PROJECTS

EU regulation opens up opportunities in the data economy

PROJECTS

Preparation of decentralised drug trials

PROJECTS

Data economy tools in health sector ecosystems

PROJECTS

Growth from Data programme

PROJECTS

Pilot projects: Digital therapeutic experiments

Completed projects

A robot under a big tree
topics

Gaia-X Finland

Text Health data 2030 on top of the Europe's map.
topics

Health data 2030

PROJECTS

Joint action Towards the European Health Data Space – TEHDAS

topics

IHAN® project

Publications

Dive in deep.

publications

Understanding the role of tokenisation in the data economy

publications

State of Finnish Data Spaces

publications

Real-world data and evidence from new medicines

publications

Efficiency from data models to the social and healthcare system (summary)

publications

Finland in the Race for Quantum Advantage

publications

Digital Product Passports: catalysing Europe’s sustainable growth

publications

Development phase of data-driven ecosystems and networks 2023

publications

Ensuring European leadership in the data economy

publications

Technology Landscape of Data Spaces

publications

How to build a sustainable world with Web 3.0?

publications

Enabling the responsible use of technology at scale

publications

The planet and us (summary)

publications

Towards a Holistic EU Data Governance

publications

Planetary health

publications

Is the European Health Union ready for the challenges of the 21st century?

publications

Advancing data sharing to improve health for all in Europe

Events

Live and online.

Invitation only

VALO EHDS2 Competence Forum

Helsinki, Thursday, Sep 26
Networking event

Gaia-X Finland: Data Sharing for Breakfast

Wednesday, May 08
events

Radical Health Festival Helsinki 2024 

Helsinki, Tuesday – Thursday, May 21 – May 23
The audience is looking at the stage with a large screen and the text "Nordic Data Festival 2024" on it.
Event

Nordic Data Festival 2024

Helsinki, Wednesday, Apr 10
A green heart in the robot's hand
Symposium

Data Spaces Symposium 2024

Tuesday – Thursday, Mar 12 – Mar 14
Webinar

Unlocking the potential of data models in the health sector

Monday, Mar 11
Networking event

Gaia-X Finland: Data Sharing for Breakfast

Wednesday, Mar 06
Launch event

Ensuring European leadership in the Data Economy – Ten priorities for the European Union

Bruxelles, Tuesday, Jan 23
A robot under a big tree
Networking event

Gaia-X Finland: Data Sharing for Breakfast

Thursday, Nov 30
events

Slush Side Event: Regulations, compliance and tech – Oh My! The future of Europe’s digital economy

Helsinki, Thursday, Nov 30
Event

Gaia-X Summit 2023

Thursday – Friday, Nov 09 – Nov 10
Webinar

Navigating Data Spaces: Technology & Governance

Thursday, Nov 23
Robortti suuren puun alla
Networking event

Gaia-X Finland: Data Sharing for Breakfast

Thursday, Sep 21
Robortti suuren puun alla
Networking event

Gaia-X Finland: Data Sharing for Breakfast

Thursday, May 11
Map of Europe and text TEHDAS Stakeholder forum
Event

TEHDAS Stakeholder forum 2023

Wednesday, Jun 14
Health innovation ecosystems need top research, professionals, technology and data.
Event

Reverse pitching: Health data and health tech solutions

Thursday, Mar 16

Contact us

Give us a call!

people
Kristo Lehtonen
Director, Sitra International Programmes
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Anna Pulli
Assistant, Sitra International Programmes
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Laura Halenius
Senior Lead, Programmes
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Anssi Komulainen
Programme Director, Programmes
people
Markus Kalliola
Programme Director, Sitra International Programmes
people
Reijo Aarnio
Senior Advisor, Programmes
people
Jyri Arponen
Director, Industry and Innovation
people
Marja Pirttivaara
Senior Lead, Sitra International Programmes
people
Marja Illi
Senior Lead, Strategic Management Support and Legal Affairs
people
Johanna Kippo
Specialist, Communications and Public Affairs