Artificial Intelligence in Context of Digital Sovereignty

In a world increasingly shaped by technology, digital sovereignty is a critical need for nations and organizations to preserve their autonomy. It is about more than just control over data and infrastructure; it’s about safeguarding values, privacy, and ethics in an era of AI. This concept empowers entities to reduce dependency on foreign tech, ensuring that their digital future reflects their unique priorities and needs.

AI in the Context of Digital Sovereignty addresses one of the most urgent issues of our time: how AI can be a driving force behind true digital independence. The book explores the profound potential of AI to help nations and organizations secure control over their digital infrastructure, protect their data, and foster sustainable, ethical technology solutions. It offers a roadmap for navigating the complexities of the adoption of AI, focusing on privacy, security, and the importance of aligning AI with local values. It’s a timely guide for anyone invested in the future of technology and geopolitics.

This book is essential reading for policymakers, academics, tech practitioners, and anyone concerned with the intersection of AI, digital sovereignty, and cybersecurity. It offers crucial insights for those navigating the shifting technological and geopolitical landscape, providing both thought-provoking theory and practical strategies for achieving digital independence.

Dr. Sanjay Misra is a Senior Scientist at the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), Halden, Norway. He holds a Ph.D. in Information and Knowledge Engineering (University of Alcala, Spain) and an M.Tech. in Software Engineering (MLN NIT, India). His research spans Applied Informatics, Digital Sovereignty, Sustainability, and AI-based Intelligent Systems. Recognised among the top 2% of scientists globally by Stanford University forsix consecutive years, he ranked 6th in Norway across disciplines in 2024. A recipient of the 2014 IET Software Premium Award, he was a Senior IEEE Member and ACM Distinguished Lecturer (2021–2024). He has chaired major conferences, including founding General Chair of the first Digital Sovereignty Conference (2024, Oslo; proceedings by Elsevier), edited top journals including Nature: Scientific Reports, and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Human Capital & IT Professionals. With 100+ books and proceedings, and over 100 keynotes in 60+ countries, he is a leading global voice in informatics, Digital Sovereignty, and AI.

Petter Kvalvik is Head of Department for Business Development and a Senior Scientist at the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE). He holds a Master's degree in Applied Computer Science, a Master of Management in Strategy and Project Portfolio Management, a Master's degree in Safety and Security Critical Systems, and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Petter leads the new research area on Digital Sovereignty, which includes, among other things, federated and autonomous systems, data spaces and data products, data governance, decentralised identities, digital trust, and interoperability. He is responsible for following up on the European data strategy, the European technology stack, the Big Data Value Association, and the annual International Conference on Digital Sovereignty. He also heads the My Digital City programme and the Norwegian FIWARE iHub for Iot. Both initiatives play a vital role in piloting a Norwegian data space for smart communities, involving project participants such as Halden Municipality, Østfold University College, and Smart Innovation Norway.

Bjørn Axel Gran is vice president for IFE, Digital Systems in Halden. He has more than 25 years of experience with research and consultant/advisory services in oil & gas, energy, nuclear, railways and air traffic management. Gran was employed with Safetec and ABS Consulting (2010-2017) in different roles, among other group leaders and R&D managers. In the period 2014-2019, Gran was an Adjunct Professor (20% position) at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He obtained an MSc in industrial mathematics in 1993 and a PhD in the field of software reliability at NTNU in 2002.

Morgan Kjølerbakken is a physicist, computer scientist, and entrepreneur, with a passion for research, technology, and innovation. He is currently a department lead at the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), where he leads a team focused on data science and AI. In addition, Kjølerbakken is a dedicated educator and serves as an Associate Professor at the Department of Physics, University of Oslo, Norway. Dr. Kjølerbakken's research interests lie in various fields, including sensor technology, computational physics, audio, electronics, signal processing, and AI. He is an expert in leading interdisciplinary collaborations and contributing to the development of innovative theories and methodologies. Beyond his academic pursuits, Dr. Kjølerbakken brings valuable experience from the industry, having funded and contributed to several successful startups, including Squarehead Technology, Elliptic Labs, and Airmont.

Aida Omerovic is a researcher, leader and practitioner with expertise in security risk management and system architectures. She has a track record of over 20 years in the public and private sectors in Europe. Aida works closely with technology-driven organizations across Europe, from critical domains (energy, communication, transport, finance and media), on enabling their strategic and future-proof digital innovation. She also actively disseminates best practices and research as a speaker/author/educator. She has published a textbook and 40+ peer-reviewed scientific articles, most of which deal with applied research, industrial development and innovation. Aida is a research manager and senior scientist at SINTEF, as well as an associate professor at Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Her previous positions include founder, CEO, consultant, senior scientist and research director. She serves as a director on several boards as well as on international public posts, which foster collaborations between professional and research communities. Aida holds an MSc in Engineering Cybernetics from NTNU and a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Oslo, Norway.

Nadia Saad Noori is an associate professor at the ICT department at the University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway and a Principal Investigator for the Cyber Resilient Organizations and Societies research group at the Centre of Integrated Emergency Management -University of Agder (CIEM-UiA). Dr. Noori is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie alumna with a background in computer and control systems engineering. She has over 20 years of combined experience between industry and academia. She holds both a BSc and an MSc in Computer Systems Engineering, with a focus on design and development of SCADA systems for the electrical energy sector. Furthermore, holds an MA Sc in Technology Innovation Management with a focus on open-source platforms for real-time communications and collaboration. In 2016, she obtained her PhD title in Electronic and Information Systems Engineering with a focus on applications of graph theory and complex network analysis to understand coordination and resource distribution in complex systems. her research interests focus on the applications of emerging technologies (i.e. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, IoT, Cloud Computing) to solve problems and challenges related to industrial systems like SCADA systems, and the role of AI/ML methods to enable increased resilience of cyber-physical infrastructure systems.