The e-Estonia council on 5 June approved the action plan for implementing artificial intelligence, or the so-called “kratt” strategy.
“Kratt” is a creature from Estonian mythology that the government of Estonia uses as a synonym for narrow AI applications. Its rough translation would be something like a “gremlin” or a “goblin”.
The group of specialists who developed the action plan for artificial intelligence advises to encourage its testing as widely as possible, because this allows to identify the areas that would benefit most from kratts.
“We must also map the public services that would benefit most from enhancing the implementation of kratts and develop ways for cooperating the kratt solutions,” the government said in a statement.
Greater digitalisation is needed
Currently, 16 kratts have been implemented in the Estonian public sector, but this number will increase to 50 next year, the government said.
“For the purpose of applying artificial intelligence in the private sector successfully, greater digitalisation of business operations is required,” the government asserted. “Public awareness must be raised on artificial intelligence solutions along with knowledge in applying them. There is no need for a separate ‘kratt’ act, but legislation must be adjusted accordingly.”
The e-Estonia council manages the development of Estonian information society and the digital state, assembles specialists and work groups upon necessity and orders analyses in the field of information and communication technology policy.
Cover: A robot called Pepper, the first robot student admitted to the University of Tartu in 2018.
