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AI in high-trust societies: why the Nordics have more to lose

Nordic countries are often cited as global leaders in digital government. Citizens file taxes online without hesitation, trust public digital identities, and expect public services to work seamlessly, and securely. This trust has been built over decades through strong institutions, transparency, and a social contract that works. But that same trust is also fragile.

January 7, 2026-By René Stampe Lund

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in public services from case handling and fraud detection to healthcare prioritization and citizen communication, the Nordics face a paradox: the societies most ready to benefit from AI are also the ones with the most to lose if it goes wrong.

One serious AI failure can undo years of confidence in public institutions.

High trust is not given. It’s built

In many other countries, public-sector AI is introduced in the context of scepticism. Citizens already distrust the governmental institutions, so digital systems or AI become just another system to question.

In the Nordics, the situation is different. Here, citizens generally assume that public authorities act in their best interest, that decisions are lawful and explainable, and that personal data is handled responsibly.

This trust enables rapid digital adoption, but it also raises expectations. If AI systems fail in high-trust societies, they don’t fail quietly. They fail symbolically.

A biased algorithm, a data leak, or an inexplicable automated decision is not just a technical issue. You could say that it becomes a breach of the social contract that we have between citizens and our public institutions.

Why AI failures hit harder in the Nordics

Our Nordic welfare model means public authorities handle highly sensitive data, from health records to income and social services. Any breach or misuse of this data can have consequences on a massive scale.

Protecting AI systems is not only about infrastructure. It’s about safeguarding trust. This means securing training data, preventing leaks, and ensuring strict access controls and auditability. If citizens cannot trust that AI systems running in the background are secure, they will not trust the institutions using them.

Transparency is the currency of trust

Transparency is cultural and legal in our part of the world. For AI, this means explaining decisions in plain language, making clear when AI is used, and documenting models and limitations. Accountability must be explicit: who is responsible when AI is wrong? Black-box AI might work in commercial settings. In the public sector, it is a liability.

Building AI that strengthens trust instead of weakening it

To succeed with AI in high-trust societies, Nordic public authorities should focus on five principles:

Security by design: AI systems must meet the same (or higher) security standards as other critical public infrastructure.
Transparency by default: Explainability and documentation are not afterthoughts.
Human accountability: AI can make decisions, but responsibility, accountability, and liability must always remain human.
Proportional use: Not every problem requires AI
Governance before scale: Clear ownership, risk assessment, and controls must exist before rollout.

The Nordic opportunity

Us in the Nordics are uniquely positioned to lead by example. If AI is implemented with strong security, clear governance, and real transparency, it can strengthen public trust rather than weaken it. But this requires discipline, experience, and a deep understanding of public sector realities.

In high-trust societies, AI is not just a technology choice. It is a societal choice. And when trust is the foundation, there is very little margin for error.

At Twoday, we work with public organizations across the Nordics to design and implement AI solutions that are secure, transparent, and fit for real public-sector complexity. We know about the challenges in the sector and have grown out of high-trust societies ourselves, meaning that we are always aware of how technology must earn and protect trust every day.

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