Digital sovereignty – demanding new answers
In 1936, when NHH opened, the main challenges were caused by technological breakthroughs in a geopolitically unstable world. The picture is much the same 90 years on.
Sovereignty = ability to control! Not self-sufficiency!
Which dependencies have we chosen without even knowing it? What is the real cost of resilience, and who should pay for it? These were among the key questions discussed when NHH brought together senior leaders from business, government and defence on the eve of this year’s DIG Summit.
─ None of those around the table believed that Norway can become independent, says Liv Dingsør, who moderated the discussion. She is CEO of Digital Norway and a DIG Fellow since 2025.
─ Sovereignty is about the ability to act and remain flexible, in other words, the ability to switch, scale and say no. Resilience is about maintaining the freedom to operate, not about doing everything yourself, she says, summarising the executive dialogue.
The core message is simple: you cannot do everything yourself, but you need to maintain control over what is critical.
The Price of Resilience: Who Should Pay?
Businesses have genuine concerns about the costs associated with building greater buffers and redundancy. Does greater uncertainty inevitably mean lower efficiency? At the same time, Liv Dingsør says several participants pointed out that security of supply can itself be a competitive advantage.
─ Customers and allies are willing to pay for those who can deliver when others cannot, she says, summarising the conclusions of the business leaders taking part in the discussion.
However, she adds that there is a problem: although businesses are increasingly aware of the risks, those risks are not yet fully reflected in market prices.
This, in turn, raises the question of who should pay to ensure digital sovereignty. Looking ahead, it remains unclear whether a market will develop in which there is sufficient willingness to pay for national control and sovereignty, or whether the state will need to step in as a buyer.
─ At the same time, business leaders also see security as a commercial opportunity. There is potential for companies that innovate and build secure solutions and supply chains, and for Norwegian technology providers that can demonstrate a proven ability to deliver, Liv Dingsør concludes in her summary of the executive dialogue ahead of this year’s DIG Summit.
