DIG – staying focused and sharp
DIG have spent the past year focusing on its core areas of expertise and the defined grand challenges, AI for business and the silver economy. We have made good progress, even with the Research Council inexplicably refusing our AI-centre application.
This was the main message from the chair of DIG, Rune Skjelvan of KPMG, as he addressed DIG’s AGM for 2025. He continued to say that DIG is part of setting the agenda for the debate on adoption and implications of AI. At Norway’s leading political festival, more than 500 attendees turned out for DIG’s main event on AI-driven innovation, featuring both the former and current Minister of Digitalisation.
Newcomers to DIG
Director of DIG, Professor Bram Timmermans, said in his “State of the DIG union” that DIG have strengthened its research capacity in the past year, including a new professor of AI, Aleksander Lundevold, who will join DIG and NHH from the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. In addition, associate professor Jareef Bin Murtaza will be the new “PI” (Principal Investigator) at DIG.
- Jareef will increase our competence in behavioural economics and consumer behaviour. This strengthens the links between our grand challenges and specific research subjects.
He also announced that DIG will be one of the leading stakeholders in a new NHH AI-driven business innovation lab, to be opened in downtown Bergen, meant to encourage student entrepreneurship.
Elections to the board for 2025-2026
Three of the members of the board of DIG were up for elections at this year’s AGM.
This was:
- Elisabeth Melander Stene, of associate partner Telenor
- Ole Jacob Mosvold, of bridging partner Virke
- Espen Sjøvoll, added board member from DIGDIR
These were all re-elected to the board. In addition to the re-elected members, the following are members of the board of DIG for the term 2025 -206:
- Rune Skjelvan of strategic partner KPMG remains chair of the board
- Simen Aasen Engebretsen of strategic partner Gjensidige
- Rector Helge Torbjørnsen and Director of Communications of External Relations, Geir Mikalsen both from the host institution NHH
- Verner Hølleland of research partner NTNU
Commenting after the re-election of the board, Rune Skjelvan said that going ahead DIG needs to attract new partners from business, but it also well positioned to do so. Adoption and implementation of AI is a field with great unfulfilled potential for many businesses and corporations in Norway, with much still to be done, he added.
– The board is well placed and suited to do this, now with an even stronger link to NHH, he said.