With 69 proposals spanning schools, Icelandic-language technology and government systems, Iceland is asking how a small nation can adopt artificial intelligence on its own terms.
A national plan takes shape
A government-appointed expert group has presented 69 proposals for artificial intelligence across ten policy areas. The report, AI for Good – Iceland as a Model for Using AI for the Benefit of Society, argues that Iceland need not lead in developing AI to become one of the best at using it. The government has approved an inter-ministerial steering group, while ministers are preparing an updated action plan on AI and language technology for the end of 2026. For visitors following the country’s changing society, Reykjavík is where many of these national debates and public institutions meet.
Classrooms, skills and work
One priority is a national framework for using AI in schools, alongside broader public education about the technology’s opportunities and risks. The report also recommends measuring AI’s effects on the labour market, recognising that adoption may reshape jobs as well as classroom practice. The proposals place preparation and public understanding alongside technical development, making education a central part of Iceland’s approach.
Building AI that can speak Icelandic
The report calls for Icelandic language and cultural data to be developed for AI in cooperation with rights holders. It proposes shared methods and benchmarks to support Icelandic-language models, while addressing copyright and the infrastructure needed to train and run them. For a language community of Iceland’s size, this raises a practical question: how can new tools serve Icelandic speakers without leaving the language’s digital future entirely to systems built elsewhere? Travellers exploring the country’s literary heritage can discover more through Reykjavík’s cultural experiences and Icelandic history tours.
State systems and digital sovereignty
A third priority is coordinated adoption across government, including a proposal to consolidate state IT operations and improve public-sector data policy. The report also examines computing capacity, data centres, energy, regulation and what it calls AI sovereignty. These issues connect digital policy to Iceland’s wider infrastructure choices: the power and computing needed for AI, the rules governing its use and the government’s ability to manage essential services.
The test will be implementation
The proposals are recommendations, and the government has yet to decide how most will be put into practice. The new steering group is intended to coordinate work across ministries, while the updated action plan is expected by year-end. Iceland’s approach will be worth watching across the Nordic region: it places language, education and public capacity alongside the more familiar questions of investment and innovation.
Suggested Online Sources: Government of Iceland — Report of the Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence · Iceland Review — Iceland AI Report Makes 69 Recommendations
