AI Sweden’s Conny Svensson on the Digital Influencer Podcast: The Potential of AI

AI has the potential to become the savior of multiple industries, solving significant problems and enhancing efficiency. According to Conny Svensson from AI Sweden, there are more opportunities than risks associated with AI. AI will not replace jobs but rather improve people’s ability to perform their tasks.

– Everyone has daily interactions with AI through our mobile phones when we use streaming services online – AI algorithms and machine learning algorithms have always powered these services. However, we have never truly felt that we have interacted with them in an intelligent way. This was the first time we experienced how we can utilize AI. It was an ‘aha moment’ for many, says Conny Svensson in the latest episode of the Digital Influencer Podcast.

AI is here to stay, and we interact with it on a daily basis. The development of AI will only continue to accelerate. From being focused on Netflix algorithms and Siri just a year ago, now almost anyone can build their own model.

– Now, open-source models are emerging where you can build, train, and direct these models toward specific problem areas and integrate them into products. This democratization allows individuals without technical expertise in a particular profession to access AI. This is where we are witnessing the revolution we see today, and it is only the beginning, Conny Svensson explains.

Conny Svensson notes a shift in how politicians perceive AI. As the general public realizes that AI is here to stay, politicians have also recognized the need to take action now rather than waiting for “a few years.” Svensson points out legislation as one aspect that requires attention. Is it a good idea to pause advanced AI development to align with legislation?

– We must certainly discuss the risks that exist, but we also need to discuss the risk of not working with these technologies. For example, I mentioned that we work with healthcare and energy systems – we use this technology to solve problems in our society. So if we halt development, are we also halting a possible solution? Svensson questions.

Many have expressed concerns that entire professional categories will disappear due to AI. However, Conny Svensson and AI Sweden take a different approach. According to him, several sectors can benefit greatly from AI technology without necessarily causing jobs to vanish.

– One such sector is healthcare. Many public organizations face a problem of limited resources. With an aging population and fewer people to care for the elderly, we cannot solve the task by simply hiring more staff and increasing taxes. Here, AI can provide a solution – we can streamline many processes, Svensson explains.

– I would say that AI does not eliminate jobs because it enhances our ability to perform our tasks better. It might eliminate certain types of tasks within a role, certainly, but I believe that roles and jobs will evolve and transform, just as we have seen in industrialization and other technological shifts, he adds.

Listen to the entire episode of the Digital Influencer Podcast here.