This week, Norway has taken a major step towards the digital society of the future. KI-fabrikken (The AI Factory), led by Sigma2, has now officially opened. The factory will make artificial intelligence (AI) more accessible. With the supercomputer Olivia at the core of the initiative, this marks a milestone in the national effort in digitalisation work.
The opening of KI-fabrikken took place in connection with Minister for Digitalisation and Public Administration Karianne Tung's visit to the Olivia supercomputer on Tuesday. The supercomputer is Norway's most advanced computing resource, and forms the very heart of KI-fabrikken. Olivia will be a key resource in the work to make AI accessible to business, research and the public sector.
– KI-fabrikken is an important contribution to the government's digitalisation work. Norway must be a leader in the development and use of responsible and ethical artificial intelligence, and we must utilise the expertise and resources that have already been built up in academia through many years of investment, says Karianne Tung, Minister of Digitalisation and Public Administration.
Sigma2, Norway's national supplier of supercomputers and related services, has supported research communities at Norwegian universities and university colleges for many years. This work has been crucial in strengthening Norway's capacity in advanced computing.
Through KI-fabrikken, Sigma2 can now share expertise and infrastructure with businesses and the public sector. The AI Factory is designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of level. Users get access to powerful infrastructure, world-leading expertise and assistance without the need for major investments in their own infrastructure or building their own specialised expertise.
With the AI Factory, we want to lower the threshold for using artificial intelligence, while ensuring a safe and ethically sound environment for development. The goal is to make AI accessible to more actors and help solve specific challenges across industries and professional communities, says Andreas Hagset, project manager for the AI Factory.
The AI Factory is funded by the Research Council of Norway and the EU and is part of the European LUMI AI Factory network. It plays a central role in Norway's national strategy for artificial intelligence, which aims to promote sustainable value creation and position Norway as a leading player in the use of AI in areas such as health, energy and ocean industries.
– This is not just about technology, but about making AI relevant and applicable to more people, says Hagset.