NAIM 2025 attendees may know him better through his previous role as the managing director of the Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Research Consortium (NORA), a position he held from its founding in 2018 until June 2025. Under his leadership, NORA became a central driver of Norway’s national AI strategy, strengthening research, education, and innovation in the field - and was also the initiator of NAIM.
Pettersen holds a Master’s degree in physics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and a PhD in theoretical neuroscience from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). Before joining NORA, he worked as a researcher at NMBU (2008–2013) and at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Oslo (2014–2019), and also gained industry experience as a consultant in a multinational firm.
NAIM 2025 - talk: "Nordic AI - Why and How?"
In an era where the international application of artificial intelligence often erodes trust and challenges democratic norms, the Nordic region has a unique opportunity to chart a different course. This talk, "Nordic AI - why and how?", explores the core principles of the "Nordic model" as a framework for responsible AI development. It argues that based on our shared values of transparency, collaboration, and social welfare, we can leverage AI to strengthen, rather than diminish, public trust and democratic institutions. This should also be reflected in Nordic AI research.
The presentation will specifically highlight what we already have done to set the stage for Nordic AI, and the role the Nordic AI Research, Education, and Innovation Partnership (Nordic AIR) may play in a strong Nordic AI research collaboration. We will discuss why it is not only possible but imperative for the Nordic countries to lead by example, demonstrating how AI can be a force for positive societal change. The talk will provide a call to action for young researchers to contribute to this mission.
