Researching the future of AI in Norway
As AI accelerates, researchers at DIG are investigating how Norwegian organizations can adopt and govern the technology responsibly and effectively.
- Making effective use of AI – every day
- Active use of AI has increased sevenfold over the past year, says Helene Cappelen, head of the You & AI unit of Gjensidige. Insurance company Gjensidige is one of DIG’s long-term partners. The company has taken major steps forward over the past year in scaling AI across its operations.
Gjensidige is using AI to improve efficiency, strengthen customer experience and reshape how work is done.
– We are using AI to increase automatization and improve our customer service, she says, but also adds that they are looking at how AI will change their operational model.
Creating networks for fast learning
A core priority has been to create internal networks and labs to test, develop and share ideas and experiences with use of AI.
- We had strong expertise on machine learning and automation, and these enivornments quickly lead the introduction of generative AI. At the same time, generative AI demands more from us as an organisation to create value. We therefore focused early on capability building and risk management before scaling, Helene Cappelen says.
What started as a focus on automation has evolved into something broader.
- AI is not just another efficiency tool. It is a driver of fundamental change in how we work. We anchored this early at senior management level and set a clear direction. We scale what works and adjust as we learn.
Monthly forums and weekly webinars
A key component in Gjensidige’s work on AI adoption and implementation has been to establish structures such as networks and forums to facilitate and encourage exchange of ideas and experiences. Managers from different divisions meet monthly to align on priorities and progress and discuss learnings.
- Every Tuesday morning, around 700 colleagues join a webinar where we demonstrate practical use of our AI tools, and invite people to share any problems, ideas and solutions in a very hands-on and practical way. This enables learning and inspiration, Helene Cappelen says.
The general idea behind these forums and exchanges of ideas is to develop quick ways to scale ideas that work and identify those ideas that don’t work.
One change they see in Gjensidige is the need for everybody to spend time learning and developing skills continuously, rather than just taking further education and courses for more extended periods once or twice a year. Learning needed to be incorporated into daily work.
- It takes effort to build new capabilities, so we are integrating learning into everyday work, not treating it as a separate activity, she says.
The industry will still need smart people
AI is not just a tool for efficiency. Helene Cappelen and others in Gjensidige are clear that the adoption and implementation of AI throughout the business is changing how work is done, how decisions are made, and how they design their processes. She is also clear that insurance will require as much expertise, skills and smart people as ever.
- We need deep domain expertise across many professions, from physiotherapists to agricultural experts. There are many professions working in Gjensidige, and this will continue. Our mission is still to secure life, health and assets. We must be there for our clients when they need us. That requires trust both in our brand and our products, and it requires skilled people, she says.
Accelerating the use of AI in auditing
Over the past year, the pace of change in auditing has accelerated dramatically. For DIG partner and auditing and advisory firm KPMG, artificial intelligence is no longer just a supporting tool. It is becoming an integral part of how audits are planned, performed and delivered.