Articles and blog posts on artificial intelligence

OOAKI (one-of-a-kind-living) is a Swedish sofa refurbishment startup that worked with RISE to develop its circular business model. In a conversation with RISE, OOAKI’s Chief Digital Officer, Lennart Svanberg, discusses how this shift was inspired by a closer relationship with customers.

How a needs-based investigation contributed to a lightweight approach to defining digital infrastructure – Lessons learned from an AI-enabled quality inspection use case

Mälarenergi's district heating system is at the centre of attention, with data analysis and collaboration being used to develop an AI-powered production control method. The aim is to reduce energy consumption while ensuring the correct temperature is delivered to customers.

The AI Act covers anyone who develops AI solutions, uses them in their business or puts AI systems on the Swedish or European market. In this article, researcher and legal expert Susanne Stenberg explains everything you need to know about the AI Regulation.

Although AI agents can create efficiencies and cost savings, autonomous technology also presents challenges relating to security and transparency. "The opportunities and risks are essentially the same as those for AI models in general, but amplified," says expert Stella Riad.

In 2035, I sit at home in Göteborg looking for travel ideas with an AI tool built on internationally developed foundation models, delivered by European and Swedish providers. The AI works for me and protects my data. At work, similar systems handle routines and simulations. We work six-hour days, and I volunteer weekly at an elderly care home

The year is 2035. As I sip my morning coffee, a neighborhood robot passes by and pauses in the park to sync its local model with the city’s digital twin: soil moisture, energy flows, upcoming repairs. Life looks normal, yet beneath it runs a quiet network of robots, sensors, and AI agents keeping the city alive.

By 2035, AI will form the backbone of — and be fully integrated across — public digital services and physical infrastructure. Open Source AI will be critical for nation states, industries, and citizens to ensure transparency, control, and sovereignty over models and data inputs, and to avoid ending up under the dominance of any third-party actor.

Multimodal large language models can draft reports, analyze images, and aid decisions, yet they remain surprisingly vulnerable. Tiny, imperceptible adversarial perturbations can trigger drastic errors, yielding nonsensical or harmful outputs and undermining reliable, safe AI deployment.

The Gävleborg region and its ten municipalities have entered the AI era together. By working together and sharing knowledge, they have developed the expertise and confidence to explore how technology can deliver tangible benefits to the welfare sector.

At a recent meeting of AI ambassadors from across RISE, it became clear that we are in the midst of a system-wide shift. Fifty presentations, fifty voices, one shared insight: AI is becoming a foundational layer in everything we do.

We all depend on digital services to work and be secure, from the smartwatch on our wrist to advanced control systems in industry. Today, cybersecurity is a basic prerequisite for everyday life, as essential as electricity or running water.

In the third quarter, RISE brings together industry around biotechnology and sustainable manufacturing, takes AI into space and launches new offerings that support market introduction. RISE continues to develop in areas and technologies that are strategically important for Sweden.

At the Turing–Nordic workshop in Oslo, researchers and policymakers explored how AI can help safeguard the Arctic. The key insight? Real progress doesn’t come from perfect data or tidy solutions, but from embracing the mess—contradictions, failures, and uncertainty that reflect how the real world works.

Autonomous passenger ferry concepts are already in operation and are expected to become an everyday reality. Ensuring a similar or improved level of operation and safety compared to traditional ferries, is key to broader acceptance and adoption of this concept.

A groundbreaking index in the emerging field of neurodesign and neuroarchitecture could transform the way we plan and invest in our cities, schools, and workplaces. Drawing on brain science and AI, researchers can now measure how physical environments influence our health, cognition, and overall wellbeing – with the ambition to set a new global standard for the built environments of tomorrow.

What does it take to build an AI future that’s fair, robust, and aligned with our values? In this post, Sverker Janson shares insights from a recent futures workshop at RISE, where we explored what it would take for Sweden and Europe to lead the way in shaping a trustworthy AI ecosystem.

Reversed design with AI turned into part experiment part art project in designing a unique stage set for the Computer Science Open House 2025 at RISE. It began as a lighthearted message in a Teams chat and soon evolved into a shared vision.

New technology met history when RISE and the Swedish National Heritage Board joined forces in an AI project. Together, the two parties have developed an innovative method for identifying and classifying heritage buildings. The method can become an important piece of the puzzle when Sweden's built heritage becomes part of the green transition.

RISE's report for the first half-year shows strong development compared with the previous year. We continue to see a great need for research and innovation to meet the challenges facing both industry and society.

The AI year 2025 is in full swing. It's clear that the pace isn’t slowing down. Momentum is increasing — new models, concepts, and technologies are emerging almost daily. For those unfamiliar with the field, it can feel overwhelming to keep up, and even those who are well-versed may struggle to maintain an overview of the shifting AI landscape.

Sweden being a competitive nation in AI is an excellent vision. But it's important to remember that it's about quality, not quantity. "We don't need the most AI, but the best used AI. We need to understand both the technology and society," says Kristina Knaving of RISE.

In a complex world with major challenges, the importance of a powerful research institute becomes apparent. In 2024, RISE will achieve a strong result that will enable continued investments in cutting-edge expertise and technology infrastructure that are important for Sweden's and Europe's competitiveness.

A technology that could change everything – from drug development to cybersecurity. Quantum computers are expected to solve problems that today's most powerful supercomputers would never be able to figure out. Is Sweden keeping up with developments?

The police officer and the psychologist left the Swedish Security Service to start a business. Now Stefanie Najafi and Jenny Johansson have begun marketing their AI solution for detecting alcohol and drug impairment. Their invention can update old methods used by police officers to test drivers on the road. Thanks to RISE's AI expertise, technical development was accelerated at an early stage.

AI has great potential for sustainability, but its energy requirements cause emissions equivalent to Sweden's annual energy consumption. By developing energy-efficient AI, we can not only reduce the technology's footprint, but also create innovative solutions that support the climate transition.

How do you ensure that every step in the production of a high-volume product is really beneficial? Volvo Cars analysed data from the production of 120,000 cars. The result: an entire complicated step was eliminated – while at the same time identifying possible improvements in the production line.

The government has commissioned Vinnova to identify strategically important technologies that can strengthen Sweden's competitiveness. RISE has contributed to this work by exploring how the foresight methodology can be used to develop national priorities and strategies. The results are now summarised in the report Strategic Technology Areas for Sweden, which highlights both the current situation and future prospects in the light of rapidly emerging technological developments.

The possibilities of AI seem endless, but there are also risks. Especially for the public sector. That's why Knivsta Municipality, together with around 10 other municipalities, is now entering into a partnership with RISE to safely explore different areas of application.

People have dreamed of self-driving cars for as long as there have been cars. The technology is now available – but we still have to drive ourselves to work every day. "To take the next step, we need a national effort to show the way," says Anders Hjalmarsson Jordanius, Head of Mobility and Systems Research at RISE.

Traceable measurements, uncertainty analysis, and model validation are crucial for greater adoption and trust in AI models within industry and business. Here, measurement technology can contribute to reliable results in areas such as predictive maintenance.

Digitalisation and AI are major enablers of future spatial planning and sustainable growth. Our existing built environments, as well as the new ones that are emerging, need to transform in line with the roadmaps set out in the 2030 Agenda. But there are many challenges in the built environment sector that we need to address to fully benefit from the technology.

Can brain research be used to design and build cities in ways that improve human well-being? A major step forward is now being taken in the fields of neuroarchitecture and neurodesign, which could help make cities around the world healthier places to live in.

Technological developments are opening up new opportunities for industry to optimise its production assets. Now it is time for maintenance organisations to follow suit. - To take the next step, technology and organisation must evolve in parallel. It's not enough to install sensors and collect data if we don't have an organisation that can absorb and act on the information," says Camilla Munther, researcher in maintenance and production development at RISE.

A country that leads in artificial intelligence is a country with competitive businesses and efficient public services. Sweden may not have the biggest AI giants at home, but we do have a smorgasbord of qualities that can make us a strong AI nation. So how can we make the best use of them? 

Marseille rained medals on the Swedish national sailing team at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. On shore, a team of RISE researchers provided the Swedish sailors with AI insights and optimised components.

Are AI and other advanced digital services environmental villains or climate heroes? On the one hand, they can help increase sustainability, but at the same time, the data centres that power them require large amounts of energy and water. – A lot is happening in the industry now, with investments in everything from energy efficiency to heat recovery," says Tor Björn Minde of RISE.

Around the world, people are struggling to cope with the effects of climate change. Can AI help us tackle one of the great issues of our time? "High-tech AI is unlikely to be the whole solution. But it can improve low-tech solutions and make them more efficient," says Olof Mogren, research leader at the Centre for Applied AI at RISE.Here's how it could work.

In a short period of time, AI has gained a foothold in both business and the public sector. But it is perhaps in medicine and healthcare that AI's ability to interpret large amounts of data will have the most transformative impact – and could save lives.

As cars become more computers than vehicles, manufacturers need to add new skills to stay competitive. So what will be required of the automotive industry in the future?

Göteborg Energi Nät needed new tools to smooth out the load on the power grid and assist customers in consuming electricity in the right way. The solution? New algorithms that automatically detect if the customer has an electric car, solar panels, or heats their home with electricity, which can be used to better plan the power grids and help customers adjust their consumption patterns—and ultimately avoid overpaying.

The new EU AI law imposes new requirements on companies developing AI solutions. The aim is to give EU citizens confidence in the technology. But what are the rules and what does it mean for companies working on new, innovative AI systems? 

In the field of wood technology at RISE, many individual activities are ongoing, but they are also parts of a whole to support the development of a circular wood value chain. By creating a circular wood value chain, we utilize raw materials in the best possible way, which is a prerequisite for the continued development of the wood sector.

By improving the measurement and characterization of aerosols — tiny particles suspended in the air — using large-scale research facilities like MAX IV, air quality and public health can be improved.

With its autonomous and electric-powered robot, Ekobot enables reduced use of chemicals while data collection provides new opportunities for the farmer. By collaborating with RISE early in its entrepreneurial journey, Ekobot has been able to develop and test its innovative solutions, representing a significant step towards a more sustainable and profitable agricultural production.

Digital twins have the potential to be the next big step in the development of the digitalised society. A digital twin is a replica of something real. The technology is used to visualise data, make simulations and monitor what is being mirrored. The benefits are clear for municipalities, property owners and companies.

The lack of software developers in Sweden and the rest of the world is a challenge that many companies are facing. In 2023, RISE has tried to contribute to the solution with a bootcamp – an intensive training concept in which employees from RISE got to participate in order to strengthen their skills in developing code. The bootcamp is a way to deal with the skills shortage internally and at the same time build a learning organization, says Annette Anjou, Chief Human Resources Officer at RISE. 

Optimal performance of Generative AI necessitates the implementation of liquid cooling! In two preceding blog entries, we delved into the challenges and substantial energy consumption associated with training and utilizing expansive AI models, such as in the case of ChatGPT. In this blog post, our objective is to go into the thermal management.

Digital technologies could serve as a catalyst for increased productivity and sustainability in agriculture. But it is important that the solutions developed are able to help and not hinder.  

In a previous blog post, we posed the question, "Does generative AI run on thin air?" and discussed the associated challenges and strategies for mitigating energy use. We even put this question to ChatGPT, and it couldn't provide a clear answer.

In today's digital landscape, technological advancements are reshaping the way we communicate. One of the most groundbreaking developments is deployment of 5G and in the future 6G. These next-generation networks are not just about faster downloads; they have the potential to revolutionize how we experience connectivity in every aspect of our lives.

Have you tried asking ChatGPT how much energy it uses to train itself? It answers “As an AI language model, I don't have direct information about the specific energy use involved in training me."

Let’s take a peek into the future of how much energy data centers in Sweden will use by 2030? The report "Energy Use in Data Centers and Digital System", written by us at RISE data center ICE, was recently released for the Swedish Energy Agency. Here we figure out how much energy that will be used 2025 and 2030!

More accurate diagnostics, earlier detection of disease, more personalised treatment, and greater opportunities for preventing ill health. All this could become a reality with the help of AI – but it requires a toolbox of advanced technologies for privacy protection.  

As a UX Researcher, it is our job to understand the user's needs and expectations for a product or service. This is a critical factor in creating a positive user experience. But understanding the user is not always easy and can require a lot of time and resources.

The ongoing electrification process highlights the need for automated systems to counter cyber attacks. Today, the mobile devices and rolling data centres that used to be called cars are potential targets for hackers. 

Research from RISE creates better conditions for measuring patients' memory ability. The measurements are crucial for early diagnosis of dementia diseases, to follow the course of the disease and to be able to evaluate the effect of treatment and medication.

The Swedish Board of Agriculture was to conduct a feasibility study for a national platform for sharing data. So, they needed a partner familiar with both digitalisation and agriculture. They chose RISE.  “Their experience and expertise in both sectors was necessary for us to be able to complete our feasibility study,” says Frida Sporre at the Swedish Board of Agriculture’s nutritional development department. 

There is a strong commitment to a sustainable food system. But the road to the goal is not straight. Focusing solely on making one's climate impact as small as possible risks having a negative effect on other important environmental goals. This is how you as a food operator can make the choices that suit your business best. 

ChatGPT has taken the world by storm. A similar model, trained for Nordic languages, is currently being developed. 

“Transparency is seen as a key to increasing trust in AI services. But it's not about turning up the information shower to high. Instead, think strategically about purpose and context,” says Jacob Dexe, researcher at RISE. “And that most users don't need to understand exactly how an AI system works.”

Can you list some credible arguments why we should not include more people/perspectives when developing new services and solutions? I've really tried to come up with some good arguments but can't.

Predictive maintenance ensures that problems do not arise, but it does mean that time and money are spent on things that may not have needed to be fixed yet. With the help of AI, companies can make predictive maintenance more accurate, thereby saving both time and money.

A large part of tomorrow’s healthcare and social care will take place in our homes. Digitalisation plays an important role but it is far from the only parameter to consider in the transition.

The new technological, demographic, social and political changes in society can present both major problems and fantastic opportunities. Are you seeing all the opportunities, risks and consequences that come in the wake of the changes and new requirements? Are you aware of what new decisions, plans and policies will be needed in your particular line of business? “Instead of groping in the dark, you can gain a lot of time by turning to us,” says Andreas Johansson, research and business area manager at RISE.

AI investments are on the rise. Computing power has never been greater. But, according to Martin Körling, Senior AI Researcher at RISE, researchers and specialists in trade and industry and the public sector need to have access to more easy-to-use machine learning (ML) systems and other technologies. 

Could a pilot study on European patent data be the first step to preventing a future chemical disaster? Researchers at RISE have built a machine learning model that identifies bisphenols and, potentially, other hazardous chemical substances. With further training and development, the social benefits can be enormous.

With the advancing development of technologies based on artificial intelligence, new areas of use are emerging. Computer vision is one such area. The technology can assist people in several ways, who can instead devote themselves to other tasks, and in some cases the technology is both faster and more reliable. – “It may involve monitoring processes in industry, for example, where the system can detect an event early on in the preliminary stage and issue a warning before anything has happened,” says Olof Mogren, Senior Researcher in Machine Learning at RISE.

Products and services enhanced with artificial intelligence will be more stringently regulated. As a consequence of the EU’s forthcoming legislation, describing how and why the algorithms achieve a certain result will be a prerequisite for getting AI systems certified by independent operators such as RISE.

A powerful AI for image search in English has come to global life thanks to researchers at RISE. Their method of connecting different languages to the pre-trained image algorithms has already been downloaded nearly two million times worldwide.