Finland wants to teach the world more about AI

Finland was the home of Nokia. For several years in the 1990s, Nokia was the world's largest mobile telephone manufacturer. In 2017, Nokia was Finland’s biggest company in terms of turnover. Mobile technology turned many Finns into millionaires – before companies like Apple took over.

The mobile as school troublemaker

But the tone has changed. The Finnish and other Nordic governments are now trying to fight mobile addiction in schools as the handsets are considered to interfere with students’ education.

Finland’s top ranking in the OECD’s international PISA survey, which tested students’ knowledge in mathematics, reading and natural sciences, is but a memory. Students’ learning levels have fallen, and issues with concentration and discipline have increased. 

The government is planning legal changes to limit the use of mobiles during school hours and improve Finnish students’ focus on education.

A worried business

Finnish students receive on average 200 notifications a day on their mobile. Girls in particular spend a lot of time on social media – up to six hours every day.

The Finnish Chamber of Commerce supports a tightening of rules in schools and wants to ban mobiles during breaks as well.

The problems later show up in working life, as people display difficulties adapting, mental health issues and lowered productivity, the Chamber of Commerce points out. Yet others argue the mobile could be a tool and part of the digital skills students should learn in school.

Mika Lintilä is now an MEP for the Centre Party. He was par of the previous government which was more enthusiastic about AI . The present government is more sceptic. Photo: mikalintila.fi

World-leading?

Yet there is no sign of Finnish hostility towards technology. Finland cannot become the biggest in AI but might become the best. And AI is definitely very important for employment and export.

The former government’s Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä expressed ambitious goals for how Finnland should efficiently exploit its limited resources.

“Our goal is to become one of the world leaders in adapting artificial intelligence and new ways of working,” Lintilä said. He is now an MEP representing the Centre Party. 

He was talking about leveraging digitalisation to improve Finland’s competitiveness and utilise AI and robotics to manage changes to the labour market.

Improved services in all areas

In everyday life, artificial intelligence is often seen through new and improved services, said minister Lintilä when the development of a national AI programme began.

“In healthcare, artificial intelligence can analyse all medical data in seconds and make diagnoses more accurate.”

AI also means that shipping routes, energy use and maintenance can be optimised, causing as little inconvenience as possible for people and the environment.

Consumers deal with AI every time they use a digital service to find a hotel quickly, or film and music that fits what they enjoy, according to Lintilä.

Clean, sustainable, efficient and digital change

The vision for the government’s Artificial Intelligence 4.0 programme is that by 2030, Finnish industry should be clean, efficient and digital. 

The aim is to navigate the dual transition successfully, addressing both the challenges of industrial digitalisation and those of the green transition. One goal, which has also been achieved, is to expand education within the sector and make sure people who are already in the labour market have the necessary skills.

More knowledge for all

During Finland’s 2019 Presidency of the European Union, the education programme “Elements of AI” was launched. 

The aim is to “demystify AI” and present its basic elements to make it understandable for all. The course was created by the University of Helsinki together with the education company MinnaLearn.

Finland made the course freely available for all Europeans translated into all of the EU’s official languages. So far, more than one million people across 170 countries have taken it. The online course combines theoretical texts with practical exercises with a sprinkling of maths and should take around half an hour to finish. 

Elements of AI is a course that works well both on mobile and on PC. In 2019, the course was named the world's best online course in computer science, among Class Central's 1167 online courses. Photo: MinnaLearn.

Anyone can sign up for the course, which has been launched in cooperation with universities and colleges in all of the language areas that grant study credits when the course has been completed.

At least one per cent need to know AI

Minna Learn has further developed “Elements of AI” from 2019 and created further courses on the topic. The aim is to educate one per cent of the world’s population for the future labour market. Finland has already reached three per cent.

In the final chapter of the course, the aim is explained: To find new ways of distributing welfare for all rather than creating an AI elite who have exclusive access to the newest technology – which would lead to greater economic disparity. 

How society adapts to changes brought about by AI is an issue built on democratic principles. They are political, not technological, the course points out. 

A common good rather than improved fakes

The overall outlook on the future is surprisingly positive – but attention must be paid to the effects on society. AI should be used to achieve a common good. The aim of the course is to teach students how to avoid algorithmic discrimination and work towards curbing inequality rather than increasing it.

Students must also learn how to approach everything they see with a critical eye. The aim should be to develop AI technology that helps identify fakes, not improve them. It is also necessary to introduce regulations to protect human privacy against new violations, ensuring such violations result in significant penalties. 

The team at MinnaLearn has worked on the AI course together with the University of Helsinki. Photo MinnaLearn.

There is also a hidden agenda, revealed by the course organiser in the final chapter. It is about the joy of those 'aha' moments. The hope is that participants will continue to learn more about AI and keep track of developments, particularly regarding its proper application. 

”Whenever you feel like there are risks we should discuss, or opportunities we should go after, don’t wait for someone else to react."