AI in the Public Sector | Balancing AI Potential and Digital Sovereignty

Mette Lindstrøm Lage is Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Digital Affairs and Head of the government’s Digital Taskforce for Artificial Intelligence. She works to set the direction for the use of AI across the public sector and to translate political objectives into specific initiatives. She has a strong background in digitalization within the public sector and previously served as Deputy Director General at the Agency for Digitization and as Center Director at Danish Regions, where her responsibilities included digitalization, health data, and cybersecurity. She has extensive knowledge of the opportunities and challenges that arise when implementing AI in a public context that is characterized by high standards of accountability, security, and sovereignty.

At this event, Mette will provide an overview of the national strategic guidelines and key priorities – including how the task force approaches the balance between innovation and value creation versus control, regulation, and digital independence in the public sector.

Rikke Hougaard Zeberg is the Director General of The Danish Agency for Climate Data and has a long-standing career at the intersection of digitalization, data, and public administration. She holds a Master of Science in Business Administration and Commercial Law and assumed the role of Director General in 2023. Previously, she served as Director and Deputy Director at the Agency for Digitization, as well as Sector Director at DI Digital. Rikke works to translate data and digital solutions into tangible value in the green transition. She has extensive experience driving digital initiatives within the government and navigating complex technology decisions where economics, security, and strategic considerations all play a crucial role.

At this event, Rikke will share practical insights from the agency’s work with AI, including how to design solutions that are both economically sustainable and reduce dependence on commercial cloud providers. She will provide insight into the considerations and trade-offs that arise when actively choosing alternative technological paths.

Stine Hegelund Bertelsen is the Director General of the Agency for IT and Learning (STIL), where she has held overall responsibility for the agency’s work on IT, data, and digitalization in the education sector since 2024. Stine holds a Master of Science in Political Science and has many years of experience in the operation, development, and management of complex IT organizations within the government. Prior to her current role at STIL, she served as Deputy Director for IT and Digital Innovation at the Danish Business Authority and previously held positions as Center Director at the Danish Prison and Probation Service and Head of Office at the Danish Agency for Digitization. Today, Stine focuses on balancing stable operations, security, and the implementation of new technologies, as well as strengthening data within the education sector.

At the event, Stine will provide a practical perspective on the use of AI in a large government IT organization – including considerations regarding on-premises versus cloud solutions, control versus speed, and how STIL has succeeded in ensuring robust and responsible solutions without slowing down development.

Bent Dalager is Innovation Lead and Partner at KPMG, where he works with driving innovation and digital transformation across industries – with a particular focus on the financial sector. He has more than 30 years of experience as a consultant and a strong technological background, specializing in artificial intelligence. Bent holds a master’s degree in computer science with a focus on AI, a bachelor’s degree in mathematical economics, and has completed supplementary training at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Bent is active as a teacher, author, and speaker. He is a guest lecturer in the MBA program at INSEAD and teaches AI masterclasses under the auspices of the Financial Sector Education Center.

With his combination of deep technological insight and many years of consulting experience, Bent brings a practical perspective on how organizations can translate AI and new technologies into tangible business value – while simultaneously addressing the strategic and organizational challenges that come with them.