Earlier today, President Alar Karis attended the UK's biggest public-sector innovation conference, Global Government Forum, to showcase the past, present and future of Estonia's digital state. "The development of our digital state is rooted in clear values," he explained. "Our digital story is all about trust, resilience and the firm belief that innovation must come from people."

In his speech, the head of state ascribed the success of Estonia's digital state to informed political choices, robust leadership and trust between the state and its citizens. "A strong digital state doesn't arise from technological applications alone, but requires good governance, better use of resources and less duplication as well," he said.

Regarding the future of the digital state, President Karis highlighted the role of people alongside technology. "Digital literacy has become a civic competence," he noted. "People need to be aware of, and understand, how their data are used and what their rights are in the digital world."

The head of state said that Estonia is known for almost all of its public services being digital. "That hasn't happened by chance," he added. "It is the result of years of determined work, with trust between people and the state at its core. We wanted a state that was trustworthy and people-centred. And in the future, we want a state that minimises the obstacles people face in their lives, that protects their fundamental rights and gives them control over their own data. That will require new technological solutions as well as changes in the way the state functions."

In his speech, President Karis also touched on the role of AI in the public sector, stressing the need to move from pilot projects to a solution that covers all state sectors. "If we are talking about a country in which AI supports decision-making and streamlines the provision of services, then we have to establish the institutional preconditions needed for that," he urged. "Systems that are fragmented and stretched to their limit won't serve our purpose, but mean we take longer to achieve it."

The head of state stressed that the use of AI must go hand in hand with trust and security based on oversight, transparency, data protection and cybersecurity. He named digital sovereignty and the resilience of the health system as important issues in this regard. "In the digital age, sovereignty is no longer just about territory," he cautioned. "It is also about control over data, services and infrastructure. Public services need to function even when there is a crisis, and the Estonian state is making investments to ensure that they do - among other things in education, including the AI Leap programme in our schools."

President Karis also spoke about the role of data in the digital state, underscoring the importance of responsible use. "The value of data lies not in their existence, but in their transparent and legitimate use in the interests of the people," he remarked.

Addressing the audience, the head of state emphasised the central role of international cooperation, acknowledging the close partnership between the United Kingdom and Estonia in the digital sphere and their cooperation in engaging Ukraine. "As a small country, Estonia has to work with like-minded partners to transform those shared values and attitudes into practical solutions," he said. "We are ready to shape the next phase of the development of the digital state with just such partners. The choices we make today will determine the society we live in tomorrow."

The Estonian companies Nortal, Cybernetica, Helmes, Aktors, Fyma, Cybexer and RaulWalter were also represented at the event, along with e-Estonia, presenting their digital solutions to establish contacts for cooperation with the UK public sector.

Gallery (Raigo Pajula/Office of the President): https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCNXqm