The Complete Guide to Using AI in the Government Industry in Finland in 2025
Introduction
Finland’s government is on the brink of a transformative shift as it prepares to comply with the EU AI Act, which imposes general-purpose AI obligations starting on August 2, 2025. This legislation will require national sandboxes by August 2, 2026 and aims to enhance the transparency and oversight of AI applications in public administration.
Current Landscape
As Finland’s public sector navigates the complexities of the EU AI Act, agencies must balance the opportunities presented by AI technologies with the legal frameworks designed to regulate their use. Traficom will serve as the coordinating entity among approximately ten market-surveillance authorities, providing a centralized point of contact for compliance.
Key Obligations for AI Implementation
The obligations for general-purpose and high-risk AI models will commence on August 2, 2025, following the recent guidance from the Ministry on February 27, 2025. This guidance emphasizes the necessity for transparency and human oversight in AI applications within public services.
Practical Training Opportunities
To equip civil servants with the necessary skills, a 15-week bootcamp titled AI Essentials for Work is available, focusing on prompt-writing and deployment capabilities.
Legal and Regulatory Baseline
The legal framework for AI in Finland is evolving, with the EU AI Act’s provisions for general-purpose AI set to take effect on August 2, 2025. The government’s initial proposal for implementing this act was submitted to Parliament on May 8, 2025, which outlines supervisory powers and penalties. Finland’s approach favors a decentralized model, assigning roles to ten existing market-surveillance authorities with Traficom as the primary contact.
Usage of AI in Government Agencies
Finnish government agencies are permitted to utilize AI as a support tool for various functions, including processing, triage, and drafting. However, AI cannot replace human judgment in legal or discretionary matters. For instance, while an AI might assist in drafting a ruling, it cannot make final decisions. High-risk public services, such as education and health, will require documented risk assessments and human monitoring before AI deployment.
Compliance Obligations
Agencies must adhere to several practical compliance obligations for AI deployments:
- Risk assessments: Conduct and document risk evaluations for any AI that may impact public services.
- Data quality: Maintain high standards for data provenance and conduct thorough bias checks on training datasets.
- Traceability: Log model versions, inputs, and outputs to ensure auditability.
- Human oversight: Implement human-in-the-loop controls to ensure AI does not make final discretionary decisions.
- Transparency: Inform users when AI is deployed and provide escalation processes to human operators.
Procurement and Contracting Best Practices
In procurement for AI projects, agencies should treat suppliers as partners in compliance. This involves establishing clear, use-case driven scopes, requiring intellectual property rights and data ownership clauses, and embedding compliance with GDPR and the AI Act into contracts. Regular audits and performance guarantees should also be included, along with provisions for sandbox testing to ensure accountability.
Generative AI Guidelines
Generative AI is viewed as a valuable productivity tool for Finnish public services. However, it is crucial that any AI-generated content undergoes verification by a responsible official before being finalized. The Ministry of Finance’s guidelines stress the importance of human oversight, transparency, and protection of personal data.
Data Protection and Transparency
Data protection in Finland is governed by GDPR and the national Data Protection Act (1050/2018). Public agencies must implement a clear framework for privacy notices, maintain records of processing, and report breaches within 72 hours when feasible. The Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman serves as the regulator, overseeing compliance and enforcing penalties where necessary.
Governance and Oversight
Governance frameworks for AI in Finnish agencies are evolving from high-level principles to operational practices. Initiatives such as AuroraAI and the FCAI ecosystem aim to establish practical standards and provide testbeds for innovation. Governance practices should include regular audits, impact assessments, and continuous monitoring to ensure compliance with social values.
Conclusion
As Finland embarks on this journey towards integrating AI in the public sector, agencies are encouraged to prioritize low-risk pilots and utilize national sandboxes for testing. Investing in staff AI literacy through structured training programs will be essential for fostering responsible AI use and achieving compliance with upcoming regulations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the legal timeline for AI in Finland? The EU AI Act’s provisions will apply from August 2, 2025, with Finland’s first-phase proposal for supervision submitted on May 8, 2025.
When can agencies use AI, and what are the restrictions? AI can be used for support tasks, but cannot replace human judgment in legal decisions.
What compliance obligations must be met? Agencies need to conduct risk assessments, ensure data quality, maintain traceability, and implement human oversight.
What procurement practices should be followed? Suppliers must be treated as compliance partners, ensuring contractual obligations align with legal requirements.
How should agencies approach pilot projects? Start with low-risk pilots, run DPIAs, and ensure proper documentation for compliance.
