Earlier this week, Halden once again became the epicentre of applied AI in Norway by hosting the annual conference on applied artificial intelligence called AI+, bringing together industry, tech, and researchers from the field of AI.

The AI+ conference has become one of the most important events in Norway for applied artificial intelligence. AI+ brings together professionals from various industries, including academia, business, and research, to share their knowledge and ideas on the latest advancements in AI technology and its applications.

The conference is held in the town of Halden, and this year’s edition was attended by 270 physical participants and 130 digital participants. The event featured great speakers from leading companies around the world and Norway. These speakers included representatives from HUB Ocean, Google, Microsoft, Silo AI, Völur, Computas AS, INTOTO, E.ON, and DNV, among others.

• Highlights Day 1

• Highlights Day 2

AI written speech, of course

The opening day of the conference featured speeches from Nikolai Astrup, former minister of digitalization in Norway, and Ruth Astrid L. Sæter, the conference host. Astrup’s speech was particularly interesting as it was fully written by the popular AI software ChatGPT by OpenAI, which provided a good laugh when revealed. The conference covered various topics ranging from challenges faced in different industries to how AI can solve these challenges. The speakers provided great insights into the world of machine learning and data.

Huge export opportunities

The second day of the conference featured a morning seminar by Abelia, which discussed how AI can be the next big Norwegian export and how the Nordic region has many of the needed prerequisites to succeed in AI. This was followed by parallel sessions presented by the organizers of AI+. The conference offered a great platform for professionals to share their ideas, insights, and experiences with others in the field.

Applied artificial intelligence is crucial for solving real-world problems and improving the efficiency of various industries. It can help organizations make better decisions, automate processes, and improve their overall performance. The AI+ conference is an excellent opportunity for professionals in the field to learn about the latest advancements and exchange ideas and knowledge.

Will we see you in 2024?

AI+ features great speakers from leading companies around the world and Norway, covering various topics ranging from challenges faced in different industries to how AI can solve these challenges. The event demonstrates the importance of applied artificial intelligence in improving the efficiency of various industries and solving real-world problems. It is a great opportunity for academia, business, and research to meet and exchange ideas, and we will make sure to be an important event in the field of AI in the coming years.

Follow AI+ on LinkedIn and check out https://aiplus.no/ to see updates for next year’s conference, where we hope to see you! A huge thanks to all the partners and sponsors who help us deliver a great and important platform for applied AI!

• Watch video interviews with the speakers from AI+ 2023

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Nornir is an IoT- and AI operator facilitating the real-time movement, usage, and leverage of data, through their core offering – Nornir HIVE. Having acquired Norwegian BMS (battery management system) company Appollo at the start of 2023, Nornir has made the Norwegian Building Maintenance industry the focus of its go-to-market strategy. 

According to founder and CEO Pål K. Levang, the BMS (no; FDVU, forvaltning, drift og vedlikehold) industry is ripe for innovation and is the ideal market for Nornir HIVE to focus on as they unleash their technology.

Pål continues stating that today’s FDVU systems are plagued with manual processes, static data, and vendor lock-in. All of which he, Nornir and the daughter company, Appollo, plans to eradicate. 

We are already working with big and exciting customers through Appollo, Oslobygg, being chief among them – one of Norway’s largest real estate companies. Oslobygg is very open to innovative solutions to traditional problems, and we have already started rolling out AI-driven processes in their BMS value chain.

Working with forward-leaning organizations like Oslobygg is invaluable, according to Pål.

– Having Oslobygg as a client grants us credibility and puts our technology to the ultimate test, as no one has stricter demands regarding data security and operational integrity.

A short presentation of the company

Nornir is something as rare as a Norwegian deep tech company, founded, funded, and run by Norwegians in Norway. That doesn’t stop us from being diverse where it matters, on the inside, with a 50/50 gender split across more than eight nationalities.

We are passionate about seeing our technology facilitate the solutions of tomorrow and strive to continue to be pioneers in the field of AI-driven networks. 

How do you use AI in the company?

We use AI to build semantic networks of devices, software, and otherwise “dumb” nodes, linked by bi-directional linking, communication, and semantic services. This allows us to smartify existing infrastructure, which again can lead to benefits – like in the case with Oslobygg – automation of labour-intensive processes, securing data integrity, eliminating vendor lock-in and much more.

Tell about a recent success story from your company or an exciting project you are working on.

A good example of “smartifying existing infrastructure” is the project we have underway with KfiO at Nordberg kirke in Oslo. Here we have an ongoing pilot project where we’re utilising our HIVE in combination with a set of temperature sensors and “dumb” actuators to smartify their existing heating system. The HIVE will utilize temperature data from the strategically placed sensors to control the existing heating system’s actuators in true real-time. As the pilot progresses, we can use machine learning to add data from the church’s calendar, weather reports and more to make the system even smarter. A solution that could save the church tens, if not hundreds, of thousands in heating costs in the coming winters.

What goals does the company have for the future?

Short-term, we aim to be a leading system provider within the Norwegian BMS (FDVU) vertical, both in the private and public sectors. And we wish to do this with key clients and partners.

Long-term, Nornir has great plans for the HIVE and the underlying technology that includes-, but also goes beyond the scope of Appollo, BMS and Norway. With time, we will roll out our technology, with key partners, in new verticals and markets – while also expanding our portfolio of offerings. 

Why do you sponsor the AI+ conference?

We are sponsoring the AI+ conference as we see it as a vital forum to meet key people, clients and partners within the AI space. 

Smart Innovation Norway has a good history of facilitating valuable relationships, which is why we are a part of their cluster and events such as this one.

Facts about the company:

• Name of business: Nornir (& Appollo)
• Number of employees: 20
• Location: Oslo
• Industry: Smart City operator & BMS (FDVU) system
• Briefly about the product/service: https://nornir.io/

Abelia is a representative of small companies on the innovation front that use new technology and data to create new businesses. 

At the AI+ conference in 2022, Policy Director Nils Ola Widme spoke about Abelia’s role as a promoter of AI and digitalization to the Norwegian public and politicians. 

– Knowledge about AI positions us better to devise policies that foster growth and assure us to reach our full potential as a nation. A challenge to the AI+ partners is to make AI a general concern of politicians with a positive approach, he said.

Among many businesses, Widme sees excellent potential in the industrial sector for harnessing AI. In the years ahead, he expects industrial AI projects focused on increasing production to create new products and services and get more out of the country’s resources.

– Look at the public debate; the attention is directed towards the global giants and their use of AI and other tools, Nils Ola Widme says.

This statement is made by Dr Inga Strümke from NTNU – The Norwegian University for Science and Technology.

She participated as a speaker and in the discussion panel at AI+ 2022, and the statement above is a part of her answer to our question about how she sees the development of AI.

– AI should develop according to our actual needs. Not only with our short-term desires but also in line with our long-term goals meaning sustainability goals and ethical values, Strümke said.

The experienced NTNU researcher warned against a societal development where social media feed the population with poisonous input influencing people in a bad way.

– The intention is to make money out of it, and it is powered by data analysis, meaning AI. This huge social experiment should not be happening, and I think we are going to regret that further down in history, Strümke said.

In her opinion, a big challenge in society is to identify and decide which problems we want AI to solve and what we do not want to be interfered with by AI – even though it means making money.

Simula Consulting was founded for a main reason; bringing the fruits of technological research to society, and the ambition of CTO Omar Richardson is for Simula Consulting to become the go-to organisation for the most complex problems in tech.          

The 2020-founded R&D consultancy company focuses on products and services in deep tech and AI.

Simula Consulting harnesses AI to solve its customers’ problems. An AI-driven underwater fish separator prototype, built by the Simula Consulting team in collaboration with local partners, achieved excellent results in classifying and catching fish when deployed last summer. 

The device uses computer vision to separate the indigenous Atlantic salmon from the invasive pink salmon, a species not wanted in Norwegian river ecosystems.

Receiving international acknowledgement for the novel product and its good results, Simula Consulting’s work contributes to biodiversity. 

Learn more about Simula Consulting below.

A short presentation of the company

My name is Omar Richardson, CTO of Simula Consulting. We are an R&D consultancy company that focuses on products and services in deep tech and AI. We aim to push beyond the state of the art by incorporating cutting-edge technologies into business-ready products and services. A subsidiary of Simula Research Laboratory, we were founded in 2020 and have grown rapidly.

How do you use AI in the company?

We harness AI to solve our clients’ most challenging problems. This can be either essential tasks that fall outside the core business or transforming how employees reach their goals. For me, deep tech really comes to life when you sit down with domain experts and work out what the innovation looks like together. You know you’ve made a difference when enabling something that wasn’t even considered possible before.

Tell about a recent success story from your company or an exciting project you are working on.

My team and I are building an AI-driven underwater fish separator that uses computer vision to distinguish between the indigenous Atlantic salmon and the invasive pink salmon, a species that has increasingly been wreaking havoc on the Norwegian river ecosystem in the last ten years. Our collaboration with local partners resulted in a prototype deployed in the summer of 2022 and did a fantastic job in classifying and catching fish. It has been incredibly exciting to work on and rewarding to see the international recognition it received for its beneficial impact on biodiversity.

What goals does the company have for the future?

My ambition is for Simula Consulting to become the go-to organisation for the most complex problems in tech. We were founded on one of the core values of the Simula group: bringing the fruits of technological research to society. I believe that our relentless team of data scientists and engineers, supported by the excellent research units in Simula Research Laboratory, are in a key position not just to bring value to our customers but advance technology as a whole.

Why do you sponsor the AI+ conference?

I believe that technology serves society and that it is our duty to do whatever we can to ensure it stays that way. The AI+ conference is one of the main platforms in Norway to share knowledge, have open discussions and connect with people on AI. It is vital to support such initiatives so that we can keep making conscious decisions about where technology should go.

Facts about the company:

• Name of business: Simula Consulting AS              
• Number of employees: 15
• Location: Oslo
• Industry: ICT
• Briefly about the product/service: Cutting-edge deep tech development and AI consultancy

Decommissioning nuclear research plants requires expertise across various fields, which makes it a complex task.

Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning (NND) is a government-owned company established to ensure the safe and cost-effective decommissioning of nuclear facilities, as well as the management of waste, repurposing of materials, and environmental remediation of the affected areas.

AI is a technology that may enable segments of the decommissioning to be done in a simpler and more efficient manner. This is particularly important regarding tasks that pose a high risk to human workers. In such cases, machine learning, robotics and AI can be used to do the job.

Learn more about NND below.

A short presentation of the company

NND is responsible for decommissioning and environmental remediation of the sites that were earlier used for nuclear research.

How do you use AI in the company?

We are looking into the possibilities. Also taking into consideration safety issues.

Tell about a recent success story from your company or an exciting project you are working on.

NND develops a waste management IT solution. It might not sound so sexy, but it is important to build a modern yet robust, user-friendly and secure program that has the capability to keep track of millions of parts and their unique set of characteristics. For decades or even centuries, we must be able to go back and find where one certain piece is located

What goals does the company have for the future?

NND will clean the sites earlier used for nuclear research so that our children won’t have to worry about radioactive waste.

Why do you sponsor the AI+ conference?

The AI+ conference is a great opportunity to learn more about this fast-moving and highly important subject.

Facts about the company:

• Name of business: Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning (NND)
• Number of employees: 38
• Location: Halden
• Industry: Nuclear Decommissioning and waste management
• Briefly about the product/service: We will clean up the sites formerly used for nuclear research.

Computas provides digital solutions and consulting services within IT, cloud, and big data, and their expertise lies primarily in public administration, health, energy, and logistics.

The company was founded in 1985, and AI has been a part of its DNA since the beginning. Computas was the first company in Norway to deliver systems based on applied artificial intelligence.

This experience and expertise were highly appreciated and needed in the process towards the Norwegian Museum of Science & Technology’s opening of a new, permanent AI exhibition in 2022. The museum wanted input and someone to help them realise the ideas, and from the project’s early idea phase in 2019, Computas contributed with advice on technology, technical solutions, and software.

Computas is 100 % owned by its 330 employees in Oslo, Trondheim, Malmö, Copenhagen and Bucharest.

Learn more about Computas below.

A short presentation of the company

Computas is a Nordic provider of digital solutions and consulting services within IT, cloud, big data, and AI. We deliver value-adding solutions benefiting the public for both the public and private sectors, and our expertise lies especially in public administration, health, energy, and logistics. Our interdisciplinary teams offer the expertise required throughout the digitization process. We work closely with our customers to develop tailor-made solutions with high usability.

Computas was established in Norway in 1985, initially as a subsidiary of Det Norske Veritas (now DNV GL) working with AI. Today the company is 100% owned by its 330 employees in Oslo, Trondheim, Malmø, Copenhagen and Bucharest.

How do you use AI in the company?

AI has been part of our DNA since we were founded in 1985. We were the first company in Norway to deliver systems based on applied artificial intelligence. This has been a sustainable foundation for the development and growth of the company and has gained renewed relevance through today’s focus on big data, artificial intelligence, and cloud-based solutions.

Tell about a recent success story from your company or an exciting project you are working on.

In 2022 Norwegian Museum of Science & Technology opened a new, permanent AI exhibition, and we are very proud to have contributed to this with our expertise. The museum wanted both ideas and input and, not least, a sparring partner who could guide them to ideas that could be realised. From the project’s early idea phase in 2019, Computas contributed with advice on technology, technical solutions, and software. For three years, Computas summer students were also tasked with creating various content for the exhibition.

What goals does the company have for the future?

Computas is 100% owned by its 330 dedicated employees. We care about people and society, and the company has a proud history of bridging the gap between technology and humans since the 80s.  Today, technology is an important part of businesses and people’s daily lives. But there are still many challenges to be solved. Digitalization and AI are important parts of the solution. We want people to experience Computas as a company that takes part in creating meaningful solutions for people, for society and for customers – in a way that creates excitement!

Why do you sponsor the AI+ conference?

We sponsor and participate in the AI+ conference because AI is more relevant than ever, and we want to share our expertise and experience. Through this, we hope to contribute to businesses and society in succeeding with the innovative, efficient, and ethical use of AI.

Facts about the company:

• Name of business: Computas
• Number of employees: 330
• Location: Oslo, Trondheim, Copenhagen, Malmö and Bucharest
• Industry: IT services and consultancy
• Briefly about the product/service: https://computas.com/en/services/consultancy/

Artificial intelligence (AI) is not just a futuristic technology or an exclusive tool for experts; it’s all around us, and its influence on society is growing by the day. To better understand the impact of AI and explore its potential, it’s essential to have a platform where those who are interested in AI can meet, discuss, and learn from each other.

Christopher Frenning, a representative from Microsoft Norway, attended AI+ 2022 and emphasized the importance of bringing researchers, economists, politicians, and other stakeholders together to share their perspectives on AI’s role in shaping society.

According to Frenning, Microsoft believes in democratizing access to AI to ensure that everyone benefits from this technology. From fundamental research to developing AI technologies and making them accessible to all, Microsoft is committed to making AI available to everyone.

Thanks to Microsoft’s platform, companies worldwide can build practical, real-life AI applications and contribute to the ongoing digitalization and innovation process. AI is a powerful tool that can positively impact our daily lives and help build companies and services that make our society a better place.