AI skills are Denmark’s next competitive advantage

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the rules of growth and competition worldwide. This is not only the case for tech giants in California or authorities in Singapore. It also applies to Danish companies, public organizations, and educational institutions. AI is no longer a niche or the future. It is the present, and it is a battle of competencies.

The battle is not about gaining access to technology. It is about the ability to use it. AI skills are becoming the next major competitive parameter for both businesses and society, and Denmark has the potential to take the lead. But this requires investing in people – particularly in upskilling and education.

AI is everywhere – and it’s moving fast

Analyses from, among others, the AE Council show that AI today is directly relevant to virtually every industry. It is not only about automation in production or chatbots in customer service. It is about improving quality in healthcare, optimizing logistics in construction, predicting consumer needs in retail, and developing better learning processes in schools and workplaces.

The Danish Agency for Digital Government documents that seven out of ten companies already experience higher efficiency from using AI. This applies to both large and small players in sectors as diverse as transport, trade, industry, and services. We already see concrete changes: AI contributes to better citizen services, greater innovation capacity, and faster decision-making.

But the benefits do not come automatically. On the contrary, many Danish companies risk being left behind because they lack the right skills to implement and exploit the technology. It is not the technology that lags, but our ability to use it.

Denmark has a strong starting point – but must not stand still

Denmark is well positioned in the international AI landscape. An analysis by the IMF and Kraka places us at the very top when it comes to AI readiness. This is primarily due to our tradition of strong educational institutions and a high general level of digital maturity. We have a highly educated workforce and a business community that is, in many cases, open to innovation.

But there are also signs that we are losing momentum. According to the Confederation of Danish Industry, 57 percent of companies believe AI is critical to their future competitiveness. At the same time, many companies – especially small and medium-sized ones – lack the knowledge needed to move from pilot projects to real value creation. Danish SMEs sit on vast amounts of unused data that could be transformed into innovation and growth if the competencies were present.

The EU’s new strategy to become an AI continent underscores the same point: technology without talent is not enough. That is why the EU is investing specifically in building AI skills as one of the most crucial keys to future competitiveness.

We must do the same in Denmark, where we have the opportunity to become a frontrunner. We have the knowledge, the will, and the values that make us well-suited to demonstrate how AI can be integrated responsibly and effectively in a modern society. But this requires investments – not only in technology, but in people.

1 million Danes must be digitally upskilled

As part of the AI Competence Pact, together with a wide range of companies, public actors, labor organizations, and educational institutions, we have set the ambitious goal of providing one million Danes with digital upskilling by 2028 so that the labor market can be best prepared for future challenges and opportunities.

AI skills are the new raw material across the entire labor market, and it is not only about being able to develop software or code. It is a technology that affects all functions – from customer service to product development, from HR to management. Engineers need technological understanding, but so do pedagogical leaders, administrative staff, and independent craftsmen. Therefore, we must think about skills development broadly. It is about equipping the entire workforce to understand, collaborate with, and critically apply AI in their everyday work.

There are major gains to be achieved through a general digital upskilling of the workforce. There is enormous potential to improve public services and welfare through digital, AI-driven solutions that can handle routine tasks while employees focus on citizen-facing and professionally demanding work. And for small and medium-sized enterprises that may not have the time or resources to launch their own AI projects and solutions, a well-trained workforce will be able to drive the changes that help secure growth and prepare companies for increasing competition both nationally and internationally.

The uniquely Danish approach

Denmark has a strong educational tradition, where young people not only learn to acquire new knowledge, but also to question it critically. We educate people to ask questions, challenge premises, and actively participate in the democratic debate on how society should be organized. This tradition is crucial in a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping the framework for decision-making, information flows, and citizen participation. It is not only about mastering the technology, but also about anchoring an objective and critical approach to its use.

At the same time, the development and use of AI must be ethical, democratic, and for the benefit of society as a whole – not just the few. The combination of technological skills and critical democratic formation can make Denmark a frontrunner in the responsible use of artificial intelligence.

With the AI Competence Pact, we have hopefully taken the first step toward ensuring Denmark the digital leadership jersey in the long term. But it requires broad support from the business community, political will, financial investments, and the involvement of employees to succeed.