Global Government Forum: Innovation Building the Estonian Digital Government

Ladies and gentlemen, Distinguished guests,
It is a pleasure to be here in London to discuss Estonian digital journey. You might know Estonia as the country somewhere up in the North where all government services are available digitally. This is the outcome of many years of political choices, institutional discipline, and a steady effort to build trust between the state and the citizen. All done in nice and orderly Nordic way.

This path grew out of necessity, but it also reflected a certain view of the state. We wanted a state that would not become heavier as society became more complex. We wanted one that could remain accessible, credible, and close to people, even while the world around it was changing rapidly.

Today, that foundation is in place. With that progress, the question has also changed. We have moved beyond asking whether public services can be digital. Our attention now turns to the next generation of the digital state.

Today, we want a state that reduces friction in people's lives, protects fundamental rights, and gives individuals real control over their own data. On that foundation, we are building services that are more proactive, more personalised, and better connected to the real needs of people and businesses while ensuring transparency.

This calls for new tools, but also for a broader shift in mindset. The task before us is to rethink public services from the ground up. The state itself must become more coherent, with clearer ICT governance, better use of resources, and less duplication. Strong digital government grows from strong governance as much as from strong technology.

Another lesson from Estonia is the importance of long-term cooperation between the public and private sectors and academia. That partnership has helped build our digital society. Estonia's IT sector has played a strategic role in our development, and it will remain central as we strengthen innovation in public services and grow our GovTech ecosystem.

Digital government brings convenience, but it also brings strategic responsibilities.

In the 21st century, digital sovereignty has become a pillar of national security. In the digital age, sovereignty extends beyond territory. It includes computing power, secure infrastructure, and control over critical data and services.

For Estonia, digital resilience means securing the continuity of the digital state in all circumstances. Public services must remain available even in crisis. That is why we are investing in resilience, sovereign computing capacity, and both local and external solutions. Critical services need a foundation that remains reliable under pressure.

The same question now arises in artificial intelligence.

Many governments are exploring how to bring AI into public administration. The challenge now lies in moving from pilots to real transformation. If we speak seriously about an agentic state model, that is, a state where AI can support decisions, adapt across domains, and help deliver services more intelligently, then we also need to
address the institutional changes that make this possible.

An agentic state model depends on interoperable infrastructure, shared intelligence, and coordinated leadership. Fragmented institutions and isolated data systems cannot carry that ambition very far. With the right structure in place, AI can help government become more efficient, more responsive, and more inclusive. If we automate technical tasks, people can focus on the work they're truly needed for-and create far more value.

Dear Friends,
Trust remains essential throughout this process.
In Estonia, our approach to trustworthy AI begins with that understanding. We want innovation to advance together with safeguards: human oversight, transparency, data protection, and cybersecurity. That is why we have established a regulatory AI sandbox, allowing solutions to be tested within legal and ethical frameworks before deployment.

And AI depends, of course, on data.

Data must be usable, trusted, and well governed. On its own, however, data creates little value. Its real impact depends on responsible, transparent use for legitimate purposes. Handled well, data becomes a shared asset that improves services, supports innovation, and strengthens competitiveness.
We are also preparing for the next technological shift.

Quantum computing offers major opportunities, while also challenging the encryption that protects our digital societies. Estonia is therefore preparing its post-quantum roadmap. We want our digital state to enter the quantum era with confidence and readiness.
This is also where partnership matters greatly.

The United Kingdom is one of Estonia's closest and most trusted partners. Our cooperation on digital matters has been valuable and forward-looking. It is strengthened further by trilateral cooperation between the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Estonia, bringing together expertise on AI, data, digital public services, and digital innovation.

For a small country like Estonia, international cooperation is essential. We believe in practical cooperation between like-minded partners - cooperation that turns shared values into concrete projects and solutions.

Finally, no digital future can succeed without people who are able to live and work in it with confidence.
Digital skills have become a basic civic capability. As societies become more digital, people need to understand how decisions are shaped, how their data is used, and what their rights are in the digital world. As AI becomes more present in everyday life, data literacy and AI literacy also become part of that same foundation.

That is why Estonia is investing in the next generation through the AI Leap initiative, giving students and teachers access to AI tools, training, and new teaching approaches.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Estonia's digital story reflects trust, resilience, and the belief that innovation must serve human dignity.
The next chapter of digital government will be shaped by the choices we make - choices about rights, responsibility, resilience, and the kind of society we want to build.

Estonia is ready to make those choices with partners who share those values.
Thank you.