Building Trusted AI at Scale Cities Startups & Digital Sovereignty – Keynote Ebba Busch Deputy Prime Minister Sweden
20 Feb 2026 12:00h - 13:00h
Building Trusted AI at Scale Cities Startups & Digital Sovereignty – Keynote Ebba Busch Deputy Prime Minister Sweden
Summary
The AI Impact Summit opened with Speaker 1 thanking the keynote and highlighting the growing global challenges of artificial intelligence and the need for fresh perspectives, while noting Sweden’s reputation for innovation and its role at the nexus of energy policy and AI infrastructure [1-9][10-13]. He introduced Her Excellency Ebba Bush, Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden, as a strategic partner in this dialogue [10-13].
In her address, Bush emphasized India’s status as the world’s largest and youngest democracy and argued that the Global South must be fully included in shaping AI governance and standards [19-21][26-28]. She described the long-term, trust-based partnership between Sweden and India, recalling historic cooperation and the shared vision of using AI to lift 1.4 billion people out of poverty [24-31][34-38].
Bush drew a parallel between the printing press and today’s AI revolution, explaining that every major technology passes through fear, then trust, legitimacy, and finally transformation, and warned that AI is not merely an algorithmic upgrade but a shift in control over energy, compute, data, and trust that will determine economic growth and democratic resilience [44-58][60-64][61-68][70-74].
Discussing data centres, she noted their high energy demand and public perception of them as “someone else’s internet,” but argued they can become local job anchors and renewable-energy hubs if managed correctly, and asserted that no nation can build resilient AI infrastructure alone, defining AI sovereignty as the ability to choose dependencies based on jurisdictional control, sovereign compute capacity, and strategic partner choice [76-85][86-89][97-105].
She positioned Sweden as a strategic partner, citing its abundant clean electricity, low-carbon AI training, and industrial depth in sectors such as semiconductor lithography, processor design, and 5G/6G networks, and outlined Sweden’s AI strategy that includes substantial public funding, a roadmap for sustained leadership, and workshops to embed trustworthy AI in the public sector [116-124][125-131][140-145]. Bush highlighted India’s scale and sovereign AI models that can serve diverse languages and sectors, arguing that combining India’s reach with Sweden’s engineering excellence will create inclusive, democratic AI [146-152]. She concluded that fear fades when people understand value, and that a collaborative, open, and competitive AI industry can empower citizens and avoid the pitfalls of past technological anxieties [152-158].
Keypoints
Major discussion points
– AI’s legitimacy must be built on public trust and understanding.
Ebba Bush likens the current AI wave to the introduction of the printing press, describing a familiar emotional curve from fear to trust that eventually leads to societal transformation. She stresses that AI is not just an algorithmic upgrade but a shift in control over energy, compute, data, and trust, and that nations need to shape this transformation with clear values [44-60][61-69].
– True AI sovereignty requires international cooperation and three concrete pillars.
She argues that no single nation can build resilient AI infrastructure alone; democracies must cooperate. Sovereignty is defined by (1) jurisdictional control of data, (2) sovereign compute capacity, and (3) strategic choice of partners, emphasizing that sovereignty is about choosing dependencies, not isolation [97-106][102-105].
– Sweden-India partnership as a model of complementary strengths.
The speech outlines how Sweden’s abundant clean energy, industrial depth, and trusted institutions can combine with India’s massive scale and democratic development to create trustworthy, low-carbon AI infrastructure. Specific examples include Sweden’s low-carbon AI training footprint, its expertise in complex industrial systems, and India’s ability to develop sovereign AI models that serve 1.4 billion people [107-115][116-124][146-151].
Overall purpose / goal of the discussion
The address aims to persuade global leaders-especially those from the Global South-to view AI development as a collaborative, values-driven endeavor. By highlighting the need for legitimacy, outlining a cooperative sovereignty framework, and showcasing the Sweden-India alliance, the speaker seeks to mobilize coordinated action that ensures AI benefits are inclusive, democratic, and environmentally sustainable.
Overall tone and its evolution
– The opening is formal and celebratory, thanking the summit and emphasizing the excitement of shared AI insights [1-8].
– It then shifts to a cautious, analytical tone, using historical analogy (printing press) to warn of fear and mistrust and to stress the urgency of building legitimacy [44-60].
– The speaker moves to a constructive, persuasive tone, outlining concrete pillars of sovereignty and the necessity of cooperation [97-106].
– Finally, the tone becomes optimistic and inspirational, portraying the Sweden-India partnership as a hopeful blueprint for a trustworthy, inclusive AI future [107-115][146-151][152-157].
Throughout, the speech maintains a diplomatic and forward-looking demeanor, but it transitions from acknowledgment of challenges to a confident call for joint action.
Speakers
– Speaker 1
– Role/Title: Event moderator / host (introducing the keynote speaker)[S1][S3]
– Area of Expertise: (unspecified in the transcript)
– Ebba Bush
– Role/Title: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Business, and Industry, Kingdom of Sweden[S4][S5]
– Area of Expertise: AI governance, digital sovereignty, energy policy, AI infrastructure, international cooperation[S5]
Additional speakers:
– (none identified beyond the listed speakers)
The opening of the AI Impact Summit was led by Speaker 1, who thanked the organisers and the keynote speaker for delivering a “very, very interesting session” that offered fresh insights to all participants [1]. He highlighted the growing global awareness of AI-related challenges and argued that such sessions provide new perspectives that deepen understanding of both the difficulties and the future possibilities of artificial intelligence [5-8]. Emphasising Sweden’s reputation as a “quiet powerhouse of innovation” – citing companies such as Ericsson and Spotify – he positioned the country at the critical intersection of energy policy and AI infrastructure, a nexus that will confront every nation as data-centre demand strains national power grids [10-13]. He then introduced Her Excellency Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Bush as a strategic partner in this dialogue [9-10].
Deputy Prime Minister Bush began by expressing gratitude to the European Council, the Government of India, and the summit organizers, and noted the honour of speaking in “beautiful India” [14-17]. She outlined the three pillars of her address: the importance of the summit’s location, reflections on public legitimacy, and the need for cooperation to achieve AI sovereignty [18-19]. Stressing India’s status as the world’s largest and youngest democracy, she argued that the Global South must be fully included in shaping the rules of innovation, technology governance and global standards, because “your leadership matters” and “your perspective matters” for the future global order [20-21][26-28].
She highlighted the long-term, trust-based partnership between Sweden and India, recalling decades of joint industrial activity and the shared commitment to improve the lives of 1.4 billion people through AI-driven development and poverty reduction [24-31][34-38]. In doing so she declared, “Sweden is a proud friend of India” [92]. She also invoked the Samudramanta (cosmic ocean) metaphor, describing the collaboration as a joint “churning of the cosmic ocean” that can generate boundless energy for both societies [84-86].
Using a historical analogy, Bush compared today’s AI boom to the introduction of the printing press in the 15th century, noting that every major technological shift follows an emotional curve from fear to trust, then legitimacy, and finally worldwide transformation [44-58]. She warned that AI is not merely an algorithmic upgrade but a fundamental shift involving control over energy, compute capacity, data and trust, and that nations mastering AI infrastructure will dictate future economic growth, industrial competitiveness and democratic resilience for decades [60-68][70-74]. She framed AI as “a power multiplier for human dignity” [102].
Turning to the practicalities of AI infrastructure, Bush described data centres as “very energy-intensive” and often perceived by citizens as “someone else’s internet using our electricity” [76-81]. She reframed this perception by arguing that, if correctly implemented, data centres can become long-term local job anchors, enable renewable-energy investments, and serve critical sectors such as hospitals, research, defence and industry – effectively becoming the “factories of the new economy” [82-89]. She linked this to the political challenge that “people do not vote for technology, they vote for outcomes” and asserted that policymakers must translate AI’s complexity into tangible benefits to earn electoral legitimacy [90-96].
Bush then asserted that no single nation can build resilient AI infrastructure alone; democracies must cooperate to achieve true AI sovereignty, which she defined as the ability to choose dependencies rather than being isolated [97-101]. She presented a three-pillar framework for sovereignty: (1) jurisdictional control over where data is stored and processed; (2) sovereign compute capacity for advanced models; and (3) strategic choice of partners based on shared values and strength [102-105]. This framework echoes international calls for multi-stakeholder governance to build legitimacy and trust in AI deployments [S42][S43].
She next described Sweden’s clean-energy advantage, noting that the country exports more electricity per capita than any other European nation and that AI training in Sweden generates roughly one-third the carbon footprint of typical U.S. hyperscaler operations, turning Sweden from an energy exporter into an “intelligence exporter” [116-120]. She added that Sweden’s industrial depth includes world-leading firms such as ASML (extreme-ultraviolet lithography), ARM (processor architectures), SAP (enterprise systems) and Ericsson (5G/6G networks), all essential components of the global AI stack [125-131]. Moreover, Sweden’s trusted institutions and political stability enable the creation of AI gigafactories that combine clean power, near-zero carbon emissions and industrial scale, positioning the Nordics as path-finders for future AI infrastructure [132-138].
In line with these capabilities, Bush announced Sweden’s national AI strategy, which commits substantial public funding to AI research, development and implementation, and outlines concrete steps toward sustained AI leadership [140-144]. The strategy is supported by an AI workshop programme aimed at helping the public sector adopt AI safely and efficiently, thereby moving from slogans to implementation and building trust through action [145].
Regarding India’s contribution, Bush praised the country’s ability to develop sovereign AI models that speak all of its languages and serve its diverse society, thereby ensuring genuine inclusion for 1.4 billion people [146-150]. She argued that AI tools empowering farmers, small businesses, teachers and doctors represent a transformative leap rather than mere innovation, and that the partnership between India’s scale and Sweden’s engineering excellence can create AI systems that strengthen democracy, drive sustainable growth and expand opportunity [151-152].
She emphasized that the future will be shaped not merely by those who build the largest models, but by those who build the most trusted systems [115-117]. Bush concluded that our task as leaders is not merely to regulate AI, it is to make it legitimate, understandable and beneficial. She then likened the eventual public acceptance of AI to electricity – “invisible, indispensable, but empowering” – and called for a collaborative, open, competitive, democratic and inclusive AI industry that empowers citizens and avoids the pitfalls of past technological anxieties, thereby shaping a future where AI serves humanity rather than the other way round [152-157]. The future of AI must empower our people and uphold democratic values.
Thank you so much, Mr. Cristiano Amon, for that very, very interesting session. And I’m sure each one of us must have gained something, some new insights out of it. Are you all excited about such sessions, such keynote speakers? Louder yes would do better. Thank you. I think we all keep reading about AI. We all are aware of the challenges in front of the world when it comes to AI. But, capital but, B -U -T, such sessions are actually adding such new perspectives to our understanding of AI, the challenge, and also the future, what to expect in future. So I think it’s really time to thank our keynote speakers who are adding such great value to our understanding of artificial intelligence, as well as to this AI Impact Summit.
And ladies and gentlemen, now, it’s my honor to invite Her Excellency, Ebba Bush, Deputy President of the United States, and the President of the United States, Prime Minister and Minister for Energy and Business, Sweden. Sweden has long been a quiet powerhouse of innovation, from Ericsson to Spotify to some of Europe’s most promising AI startups. As Deputy Prime Minister, Ms. Ebba Bush is navigating the critical nexus between energy policy and AI infrastructure. Now, that’s a challenge I think every nation will face as the data centers demand ever -growing share of national power grids. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden, Her Excellency, Ebba Bush.
Thank you so much, Excellencies, distinguished guests, dear friends. Namaste, ap kärsahein. And let me begin by expressing my sincere gratitude I am very grateful to the European Council for the towards the government of India and to the organizers of this important summit. It is truly an honor to be here in beautiful, beautiful India. Given this unique chance to address you all today, I would like to talk about three points. About why, first of all, it is important to be here, some reflections on public legitimacy, and finally, about cooperation and AI sovereignty. India today is not only the world’s largest democracy, it is a leading voice in shaping the future global order. Your leadership matters, your perspective matters, and the Global South must be fully included when we shape the rules of innovation, technology governance, and global standards.
I am here today as a European, as a proud European, and I am here today as a European, as a proud European, and I am here today as a European, as a proud European, and I am here today as a European, as a proud European, and I am here today as a European, as a proud European, and I am here today as a European, as a proud European, and I am here today as a European, as a proud European, Swede that represents the second largest international delegation here at the AI Summit after France. That’s worth an applaud in itself. Thank you so much. The Nordics are deeply engaged here in India, and we are here because we believe this partnership is strategic.
It is long -term and built on trust. India is not only the world’s largest democracy, it is also the world’s youngest democracy. And I am impressed with the long -term vision of India for a better life for young people, with a commitment that stretches across generations. And Sweden shares this long -term commitment. Since India first gained independence, Swedish companies have worked alongside Indian partners, and we have grown together. And as India makes strategic investments in sovereign and democratic development, we have developed different AI models and advanced research ensuring that 1 .4 billion people can benefit from AI. This is not only industrial policy. It is in many ways poverty reduction. It is empowerment. It is development leap of historic proportions.
Sweden intends to be a reliable and innovative partner as India continues its economic rise. Prime Minister Modi often talks about and speaks of India as Vishmamitra, a friend to the world. Today, we stand at a new frontier where that friendship is more vital than ever, the frontier of artificial intelligence. Sweden is a proud friend of India. In the ancient scriptures, we read of the Samudramanta. The churning of the cosmic ocean. It teaches us that collaboration is the only way to truly unlock the deepest treasures. Today, the vast ocean of data is our samudra and AI is our churning rod. Clearly. Thank you. So as you understand, clearly, there are very, very good reasons why we are here and why this summit is taking place in India, in New Delhi.
And that brings me to the point of legitimacy. In 1450, with modern time telling, when the printing press was introduced, the reaction from the status quo was not excitement. It was fear. Power had long depended on being able to control information and suddenly knowledge could scale. And if you look back at the argument. That we heard that. They’re a bit familiar, actually. This will spread the wrong ideas. People won’t know what to trust. Society will lose control. And people, especially writers at the time, will lose their jobs. But the printing press wasn’t dangerous. What was dangerous was not understanding it. Those who understood it could soon reach a nation in only two weeks and a whole continent possibly in two months.
Every major technological shift follows the same sort of emotional curve. It goes from fear, then trust, then legitimacy, and finally, a worldwide transformation. We are now living through another such moment. And artificial intelligence isn’t just another digital upgrade. It is a fundamental shift. AI is no longer about algorithms alone. It is about control of energy, compute capacity, data, and trust. Nations that master AI infrastructure will shape economic growth, industrial competitiveness, and democratic resilience for decades. It’s going to make a massive shift. Make no mistake, we are not digitalizing the old economy. We are building an entirely new global AI industry, one that will redefine the foundations of productivity, of healthcare, of defense, energy systems, and of course also public administration.
The nations that lead this transformation, they will prosper. Those that merely consume AI built elsewhere will fall behind. The future will not be decided necessarily by the ones that builds the biggest models. But rather, the future will be decided by the ones that build the biggest models. the ones that build the most trusted systems. So for me, the question is not whether or not this transformation will happen. The question is who shapes it and on what values. And that is why I am here. So let’s talk a little bit about something else that is often misunderstood. Data centers. Because AI, much like fire, it is powerful. And in this sense, it is invisible. And it is very energy intensive.
Demanding of energy intense data centers, often on the countryside, rupturing forests and fields. To many citizens, data centers look like someone else’s internet using our electricity. At least that’s the debate in Sweden and I know in many other countries. But I believe that that’s the debate. And I think that’s the debate. That perception is incomplete. In reality, they can be long term. local job anchors if implemented and used correctly. They can enable renewable energy investments. They can be infrastructure for hospitals, for research, defense and industry. And they are the factories of the new economy. And this brings us to the core political challenge. People do not vote for technology. People vote for outcomes. A job, a hospital that works, energy they can afford.
If AI is to become electable in our democracies, policymakers must find a way to translate complexity into tangible benefit. Fear turns into trust when we understand. And when understanding grows. So how do we get there? No nation can build resilient AI infrastructure alone. Democracies have to cooperate. AI sovereignty does not mean isolation. It means choosing your dependencies. To be able to choose our dependencies and the values that shape global AI, we also need a measure of sovereignty over AI. True sovereignty, the way I see it, rests on three pillars. First, jurisdictional control, knowing where your data is stored and processed. Second, infrastructure capacity, having sovereign compute for advanced models. And third, strategic choice, selecting partners from a place of strength, not dependency.
And in a turbulent world, you need to choose your friends carefully. Sweden is choosing India. India provides the incredible scale and speed, the very engine of this movement. Europe and Sweden can provide precision and trust, the filter that ensures that what we extract is the amrit, the nectar of progress for all. Just as Lord Vishwakarma unified divine vision with practical tools, we must unify the human heart with machine power. We must not see AI as a replacement for the human spirit, but as a power multiplier for human dignity. And when we combine India’s digital scale with Sweden’s systematic trust, we do more than build code. We build a future where technology never outweighs. Sweden offers Europe and all of our global partners what the AI transition actually needs.
needs. So now you’ll have a little bit of Swedish bragging, which is not that very common. But first of all, we have an abundant of clean and reliable energy. We export more electricity per capita than any other European country. AI is becoming the most efficient way to export energy without exporting electrons. In Sweden, AI training can run a roughly one third of the carbon footprint of a typical US hyperscaler operations. This transforms us from energy exporter to intelligence exporter, a fundamentally more valuable position. But energy alone is not enough. And that brings me to the second Swedish strength, industrial depth. Sweden has deep expertise in scaling complex industrial systems. We are modernizing traditional industry while building new AI.
Infrastructure. And Europe cannot be underestimated. You cannot bypass the European Union in the AI stack. Consider just ASML in the Netherlands, the only company in the world producing extreme ultraviolet lithography machines essential for advanced ships. Or ARM in the United Kingdom, whose architectures power most of the world’s smartphones and an increasing share of data center properties. Processors. Or SAP in Germany, embedded in the mission -critical enterprise systems of the global economy. And of course, Ericsson from Sweden, a global leader in 5G and a frontrunner in 6G, the backbone of edge computing and AI -enabled networks. You cannot build the AI ecosystems with Europe. And you shouldn’t, because we’ll be a reliable partner. Third, but not least, trusted institutions.
When you make a deal with a Swede, that is a handshake that you can trust. And Sweden offers the ability to move from strategy to execution. In the Nordics, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark, we are now building AI gigafactories, manufacturing intelligence at industrial scale with near zero carbon energy. We combine clean power, political stability, rule of law, technological sophistication and a culture of trust. We see ourselves as a sort of pathfinder, helping define the routes that will shape global AI infrastructure for decades. At the same time, we are making strategic commitments. During this parliamentary term, We have committed a substantial amount of funds to AI research, AI development and implementation, therefore ensuring that Sweden seizes the economic and societal benefits of this transformative technology.
Building on that foundation, we are today presenting in Sweden an AI strategy with high ambitions. The strategy will outline concrete steps that will steer Sweden towards sustained AI leadership. Our strategy not only demonstrates the scale of current commitment, but also maps a path forward for Sweden’s future. And we have launched an AI workshop to help public sector adopt AI safely and efficiently, because trust is built not by slogans, but by implementation. And this implementation brings me back to India. India understands scale. India understands development. Your investments in sovereign AI models ensures that AI speaks all of your languages, reflects your society and serves your people. This is what real inclusion truly looks like. When 1 .4 billion people gain access to AI tools that empower farmers, small businesses, teachers and doctors, that is not just innovation, that is transformation.
Information partnerships between India and Sweden combine scale with engineering excellence, market dynamism with institutional trust. Together, we can ensure AI strengthens democracy, drives sustainable growth and expands opportunity. I’d like to sum up by saying people fear what they do not understand. But what people understand and see value in. They will defend. Our task as leaders is not merely to regulate AI, it is to make it legitimate, to make it understandable, and most importantly, to make it beneficial. If we succeed, AI will not be feared like the printing press. It will be embraced like electricity, invisible, indispensable, but empowering. Let us shape this new industry together, open, competitive, democratic, and inclusive. The future of AI must empower our people and
“Speaker 1 opened the AI Impact Summit, thanked the organisers and the keynote speaker for delivering a “very, very interesting session””
The knowledge base records a moderator/host introducing the session and thanking partners at the AI Impact Summit in India, confirming that a speaker performed this role [S67].
“Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Bush was introduced as a strategic partner in the dialogue”
Ebba Busch is listed as Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden and participated in the opening/plenary segment of the summit, confirming her presence and senior role [S77].
“The summit took place in India and the Deputy Prime Minister thanked the Government of India and the European Council”
Multiple sources identify the event as the India AI Impact Summit and note Indian government involvement, confirming the Indian location and the relevance of thanking the Government of India [S19] and [S68].
“Sweden is positioned as a “quiet powerhouse of innovation” and a strategic partner for AI infrastructure”
Sweden’s strategic choice to partner with India and its focus on AI and digital sovereignty are described in a keynote by Ebba Busch, providing background for Sweden’s innovation stance [S5]; a separate report of a major Microsoft investment in Swedish cloud and AI infrastructure further illustrates Sweden’s AI capabilities [S73].
“The summit featured a keynote speaker (unspecified) and a “Powering AI Global Leaders” session”
The knowledge base lists a “Powering AI Global Leaders Session” at the AI Impact Summit, confirming the existence of a keynote-style session where a speaker thanked partners [S67].
“The summit’s agenda includes discussions on AI literacy, global principles, data governance and equitable access”
A separate session summary highlights emphasis on AI literacy, global principles and data governance, adding detail to the broader thematic focus of the summit [S70].
“The United States and India signed the Pax Silica Declaration at the AI Impact Summit”
The knowledge base notes a declaration marking a historic US-India partnership during the India AI Impact Forum, providing additional context to the summit’s international cooperation dimension [S68].
The speakers show a solid consensus that AI is a disruptive, transformative technology requiring fresh insights, collaborative international effort, and trustworthy implementation. Both highlight Sweden’s strategic role and the energy challenges of AI data centres, while also converging on the importance of public understanding to achieve legitimacy.
Moderate to high consensus: there is clear agreement on the transformative nature of AI, the necessity of cooperation and trust, and on Sweden’s contribution, suggesting a shared strategic outlook that can facilitate coordinated policy and investment actions.
The transcript shows strong alignment rather than conflict. Speaker 1 offers a brief, appreciative framing of AI sessions, while Ebba Bush delivers a detailed policy vision covering sovereignty, partnership, energy, and societal impact. The only point of divergence is the level of detail and focus, not substantive disagreement.
Low – the speakers largely concur on the significance of AI and the need for collaboration, implying that policy discussions can proceed without major contention on the core issues.
The discussion was shaped primarily by Ebba Bush’s remarks, which moved the conversation from a generic appreciation of AI to a nuanced exploration of its historical parallels, geopolitical sovereignty, infrastructural opportunities, and democratic legitimacy. Her historical analogy set the stage for a deeper analysis of trust and legitimacy, while the introduction of the three‑pillar sovereignty framework and the reframing of data centers turned potential criticisms into strategic opportunities. By linking AI outcomes to electoral politics and highlighting Sweden’s low‑carbon AI advantage, she broadened the dialogue to include economic, environmental, and political dimensions. The concluding vision tied these threads together, leaving the audience with a cohesive, forward‑looking narrative that reoriented the summit’s focus toward collaborative, trustworthy, and inclusive AI development.
Disclaimer: This is not an official session record. DiploAI generates these resources from audiovisual recordings, and they are presented as-is, including potential errors. Due to logistical challenges, such as discrepancies in audio/video or transcripts, names may be misspelled. We strive for accuracy to the best of our ability.
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