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Technology as value – Norway as a technology partner in a troubled world
In a world characterized by rapid technological advances, increased geopolitical uncertainty and a global struggle for resources, Norway faces major challenges, but also great opportunities. At Kongsberg Agenda, we will show how technology creates value – for Norway and Norwegian business, but also for a world where we must be on the right side of history.
Rising tariff barriers, protectionism and national autonomy underline the need for increased control over data security and value chains. Norway and the Nordic countries must prepare for a world where technological sovereignty is crucial. The global rivalry between great powers such as the USA and China is developing into a kind of “Cold War 2.0”, where cyber threats, artificial intelligence and advanced weapons systems are key areas. To protect our open societies, we must build strategic alliances, strengthen cooperation between industry and government and develop expertise that ensures our competitiveness in an increasingly complex and challenging global landscape.
Trust capital is still a Norwegian competitive advantage, and there are many examples of Norwegian companies and research environments succeeding with this year's main theme: creating value from technology.
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When challenges become opportunities – Norway as a moral compass in technological development
Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence require major investments and will affect both society's security and productivity. We must proactively shape how technology is used, whether it concerns digital security, sustainable production or efficient use of our workforce. There is a fine line between technology we embrace and technology we warn against.
The US and China are pulling away from Europe in the field of research and innovation. The government emphasizes that Norway should be at the forefront of ethical and safe use of artificial intelligence. At the same time, we should strengthen our ability to meet hybrid threats and contribute to international security. Norwegian actors in politics, research and business must seize the opportunity to develop and use groundbreaking technologies to strengthen competitiveness and influence societal development. With the need for increased productivity in the public sector, we must solve complex challenges across sectors. Business plays an important role as an innovation driver, especially in green transition, renewable energy and societal security. These will be central themes in Kongsberg Agenda 2025.
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We must digitize for a new society - technological imagination as a competitive advantage
The world, including Norway, is more complex than ever. We must constantly reassess our perspectives on the global situation. Technology in interaction with people and nations will shape society for better or worse – and in ways that are not always obvious. Healthy technological imagination means seeing the opportunities new technology offers, while at the same time anticipating the challenges that come with technological advances. The times we live in require courage, action and shared responsibility.
The technological imagination for Norway is built through concrete discussions, practical examples and evidence. At Kongsberg Agenda we will focus more on what is within our control than outside. We will challenge ourselves to think smart, act quickly and collaborate effectively.
At Kongsberg Agenda we will show how technology creates value for businesses, local communities and Norway, but also for the world.
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The main direction should inspire, challenge and lead to action
This exceptional group of people who make up this year's program committee have rolled up their sleeves and created a main direction that hopefully inspires, challenges and leads to action. They have a unique understanding and insight into both the practical and societal consequences of the connection between technology, innovation, industry and politics. They bring experience and expertise related to many important areas to this work.
Notifications:
Technology as value – on the leader’s table
The drivers that influence politics, industry and business rarely change radically from year to year, but technological development occurs at a breakneck speed. When the world is in transition, decision-making horizons become shorter.
Companies must continuously adapt to changes in markets, technologies, regulations and power relations. Leaders in all types of businesses must understand technological trends, decide on investments and consider what to develop themselves or what to buy in the market. In uncertain times, the importance of the state’s role in necessary technology development and infrastructure increases. The consequences of postponing decisions become apparent more quickly than before. The business community cannot wait for the next report or public committee for recommendations. However, the competitiveness of the business community is affected by politically controlled competitive factors such as capital opportunities, taxes and fees, investment in research and innovation, competition policy and access to expertise.
Geopolitical uncertainty creates a need for flexible strategies in value chains, where companies must adapt to changing alliances among partners and suppliers. Europe sees the need to reduce its dependence on strategically important goods and components from other countries outside the continent. This opens up opportunities for Norwegian industry, including in sensor technology. The energy transition is extensive. To ensure future success, Europe must lead the way in the development of renewable energy and exploit the industrial opportunities in decarbonization and the circular economy. In Norway, we will use green transition as a driver for a Norwegian industry that has the opportunity to become a global leader. Digitalization in all parts of society and business requires new expertise, effective regulations, data security and digital infrastructure. Companies must continuously adopt new technology and meet international requirements. Norwegian industry has already made great progress with technology adoption, which provides unique opportunities to strengthen their position. Competition for expertise is intense, both when it comes to attracting talent and further developing the expertise that already exists. A shortage of people, highlighted by, for example, a lack of qualified healthcare personnel, shows how crucial it is for a small country like Norway to effectively use technology and the innovative power of business to streamline and adapt resource use. These drivers require forward-looking leadership and political courage for Norway and Norwegian business to remain competitive.
The competitiveness of Norwegian industrial companies is built on high technological expertise and advanced solutions, created through close cooperation between industry and research environments. At Kongsberg Agenda, we will pay tribute to the companies' efforts and show how courageous leaders, dedicated professionals and workers together create value with technology – both today and for the future.
Technology as a value for Norway – through cooperation across borders
Norway is in the midst of a global digitalization race. Various measurements and international rankings of Norway's position in the world count what can be measured, but do they measure what counts? For a small country like Norway, most is perhaps not always best. The most important thing is to be strategic, prioritize correctly and invest in a targeted manner.
More opportunities, but debris in the machinery and gaps in the data area
The digitalization strategy states that we shall be a leader in value creation based on data and data-driven research and innovation. It highlights the need for a comprehensive technological infrastructure and interoperability between systems. The use of artificial intelligence requires a robust data sharing policy for cooperation between the public and private sectors and a clear focus on physical digital infrastructure.
Despite many years of public awareness that Norway has world-leading health data and registry data, we have not yet seen many examples of this data creating value. Fragmented solutions hinder effective data sharing and management. Political will is crucial to driving technology development and use forward. EU regulations such as the Data Act and the AI Act are being introduced faster than national processes and are affecting technological and security priorities.
At Kongsberg Agenda, we are taking practical action and looking for concrete examples of mechanisms and measures from sectors and industries that make data available for value creation. Let's explore who actually controls and influences our choices in the data area, and dare to think differently to solve the data tangles, so that technology can provide value.
Bridging technology and security – the need for secure value chains
Increased digitalization has made societal security and preparedness more important than ever. Fiber cables and cloud-based services connect Norway to the rest of the world, but also constitute vulnerable points. It is necessary to strengthen the understanding of how data security and critical digital infrastructure affect value chains and the functioning of society. We must demystify the digital world, and show how data moves via light and fiber cables, over land and under water. What happens if something fails - for the individual, the company and the country? Who is responsible for everything being safe, and who can restore functions if something goes wrong?
Europe emphasizes the importance of investments in the defense and security sector in a broad sense with good framework conditions for business that can exploit the opportunities that lie there. How do we build bridges between industry and government, where business contributes more to ensuring national control and security in the face of new threats? What about new industries? With data centers as factories and fiber cables as transport arteries, we can become a globally leading exporter of intelligence – perhaps the world's most valuable product. Or is there something else we should focus more on?
At Kongsberg Agenda, we will take on the role of digital infrastructure in society – for security, efficiency and innovation. And we will identify where the potential for creating value from technology is most important and greatest.
The competence paradox in the face of a new geopolitical reality
When you use artificial intelligence, it is not only the technology that is new – the entire ecosystem of processes, organizations and human competence must adapt. Over half of Norwegian companies do not know what competence they will need in the future. With an increasingly rapid pace of change and a geopolitical situation that puts pressure on value chains and data security, it is more difficult to predict which systems and skills we need to invest in. There is also no indication that it will be easier to acquire this expertise in the first place. Therefore, alliances and partnerships are becoming increasingly important to gain rapid access to expertise that you do not have yourself. Here, many other countries are moving faster, more openly and more flexibly than Norway.
To ensure future competitiveness, Norway must strengthen cooperation between industry, research and education – and consider international cooperation to a greater extent than today. Continuous, strategic competence development is necessary to retain skilled workers, attract new talent and meet the growing need for digital competence in all sectors. In addition, we must dare to rethink the distribution of responsibilities between the public and private sectors to keep up with local needs, as well as international requirements and expectations.
At Kongsberg Agenda, we will find out what incentives are needed to promote knowledge development and innovation, and whether the knowledge sector is set up to help working life create real value with technology – quickly enough.
