{"id":109372,"date":"2025-08-07T12:25:28","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T12:25:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/guides\/?post_type=comparative_guide&#038;p=109372"},"modified":"2025-08-29T15:43:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T15:43:00","slug":"finland-artificial-intelligence","status":"publish","type":"comparative_guide","link":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/guides\/chapter\/finland-artificial-intelligence\/","title":{"rendered":"Finland: Artificial Intelligence"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-109372","comparative_guide","type-comparative_guide","status-publish","hentry","guides-artificial-intelligence","jurisdictions-finland"],"acf":[],"appp":{"post_list":{"below_title":"<div class=\"guide-author-details\"><span class=\"guide-author\">Fondia PLC<\/span><span class=\"guide-author-logo\"><img src=\"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2024\/01\/FONDIA_logosymbol_dark_RGB_200x200px-002.jpg\"\/><\/span><\/div>"},"post_detail":{"above_title":"<div class=\"guide-author-details\"><span class=\"guide-author\">Fondia PLC<\/span><span class=\"guide-author-logo\"><img src=\"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2024\/01\/FONDIA_logosymbol_dark_RGB_200x200px-002.jpg\"\/><\/span><\/div>","below_title":"<span class=\"guide-intro\">This country specific Q&amp;A provides an overview of Artificial Intelligence laws and regulations applicable in Finland<\/span><div class=\"guide-content\"><div class=\"filter\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Search questions and answers...\" class=\"filter-container__search-field\">\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t<ol class=\"custom-counter\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">What are your countries legal definitions of \u201cartificial intelligence\u201d?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Currently, there is no established definition of artificial intelligence within Finnish law. In Finland, the EU AI Act is intended to be implemented through supplementary and clarifying provisions, without creating an independent regulatory framework. The current legislative proposals do not include definitions related to artificial intelligence. Since the EU AI Act is directly applicable law in Finland, it is expected that the definitions contained in the EU AI Act will become established in Finnish law as such.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Has your country developed a national strategy for artificial intelligence? If so, has there been any progress in its implementation? Are there plans for updates or revisions?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Yes, Finland was one of the first EU countries to develop a strategy for the use of artificial intelligence launching Artificial Intelligence 4.0 program in 2020. According to the Artificial Intelligence 4.0 program\u2019s objectives, in 2030 Finnish industry will be clean, efficient and digital. The main objective of the program is to create sustainable employment by accelerating the growth of enterprise productivity, structural change of the economy and the digital investments required for these developments. The aim of the program is to increase productivity and sustainability in the form of digital investments; the diversification of the industry and service ecosystems with regenerated value creation and partnerships. In addition to Artificial Intelligence 4.0, Finland has several different programs and policies touching on AI among other technologies. Among these are Finland\u2019s National Digital Compass and Quantum Technology Strategy.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, the importance of updating Finland&#8217;s artificial intelligence strategy has been emphasized for Finland to keep pace with developments in artificial intelligence. During the budget negotiations held in spring 2025, discussions on artificial intelligence were somewhat sidelined, and there are currently no visible plans or updates. However, Finland is determined to remain a frontrunner in artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Has your country implemented rules or guidelines (including voluntary standards and ethical principles) on artificial intelligence? If so, please provide a brief overview of said rules or guidelines. If no rules on artificial intelligence are in force in your jurisdiction, please (i) provide a short overview of the existing laws that potentially could be applied to artificial intelligence and the use of artificial intelligence, (ii) briefly outline the main difficulties in interpreting such existing laws to suit the peculiarities of artificial intelligence, and (iii) summarize any draft laws, or legislative initiatives, on artificial intelligence.<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>There are no comprehensive laws or regulations for AI use in Finland, although the use of automated decision making in public administration has been regulated since 2023. Some governmental organizations have published voluntary standards and guidelines, mostly for the public sector. One example of these guidelines is the general rules and checklists for the use of AI published by the VAHTI network, which is a steering group for digital security in public administration, run by the Finnish Digital and Population Data Services Agency.<\/p>\n<p>In the absence of specific AI laws, existing regulation related to protection of personal data (especially GDPR) likely affects any use of AI in connection with personal data. Deployment of AI in professional setting can trigger some employment law obligations defined in the Co-operation Act. The Act on the Protection of Privacy in Working Life also governs employer obligations related to processing of employee personal data, technical supervision, use of e-mail and computer networks.<\/p>\n<p>However, there is no precedence available for determining exactly how the current legislation will be applied to AI related situations. Most existing legislation is created for a very different technical landscape and processes related to updating the legislation are long.<\/p>\n<p>A legislative proposal for the Finnish Act on the supervision of certain artificial intelligence systems has been submitted to the Finnish Parliament for consideration, and it is expected to enter into force in August 2025. The main objective of the draft legislation is to supplement the EU AI Act with provisions such as the designation of national competent authorities and the imposition of penalties for infringements of the Act.<\/p>\n<p>According to current information, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency would be designated as the central contact point. The market surveillance tasks required by the EU AI Act are to be distributed among several different authorities in Finland. In accordance with the draft Act on the supervision of certain artificial intelligence systems, the market surveillance authorities would be the Safety and Chemicals Agency, Customs, the Transport and Communications Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Authority, the Finnish Medicines Agency, the Energy Authority, the Data Protection Ombudsman, the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, the Financial Supervisory Authority, and the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southwestern Finland. The competent market authority will be determined according to the purpose of use of the artificial intelligence system. Other national authorities will also be assigned supervisory tasks related to the AI Regulation.<\/p>\n<p>The penalties will be regulated by means of administrative fines. As a rule, fines exceeding EUR 100,000 would be imposed by a separate AI system supervision penalty board on the proposal of the market supervisory authority. In addition, based on Article 57 (1) of the AI Act, a legislative proposal for the establishment of a national regulatory sandbox for AI and for the establishment of a national register for high-risk AI systems related to critical infrastructure has been in public hearing and is currently under consideration. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency would be responsible for setting up the AI regulatory sandbox, maintaining its operations, and managing related cooperation. In addition, competent market surveillance authorities and other officials would be assigned tasks related to the AI regulatory sandbox. The proposal would also regulate certain other procedures necessary for the organization of the sandbox&#8217;s operations, such as the rights of authorities to disclose information, penalties imposed in connection with the sandbox&#8217;s activities, and fees charged for the operation of the sandbox.<\/p>\n<p>The proposal would also provide for a national registration obligation for high-risk AI systems related to critical infrastructure. Each competent market surveillance authority for such AI systems would be responsible for the notification procedures within its own sector.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Which rules apply to defective artificial intelligence systems, i.e. artificial intelligence systems that do not provide the safety that the public at large is entitled to expect?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>In terms of liability for damages caused by AI, the existing pieces of legislation such as product liability law, data protection laws, and general tort law are applied. However, there is a pressing need for a clear delineation of liability for damages resulting from the use of AI, as highlighted by the recent proliferation of large language models.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Please describe any civil and criminal liability rules that may apply in case of damages caused by artificial intelligence systems. Have there been any court decisions or legislative developments clarifying liability frameworks applied to artificial intelligence?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>AI systems may be considered products under Finnish Product Liability Act, corresponding to the EU&#8217;s Product Liability Directive. If an AI system is defective and causes damage, the producer could be held liable. The definition of &#8216;defective&#8217; in this context is crucial and may include not just malfunctions but also inadequate instructions or warnings about the use of the product. In addition to product liability, the GDPR imposes liability for non-material harm, which can result from AI systems&#8217; processing of personal data. This includes harm such as bias in decision-making processes that affect individuals, where the AI system&#8217;s data processing is not compliant with GDPR principles. In the absence of specific rules in the Product Liability Act or GDPR, Tort Liability Act may apply. This means that if an AI system causes harm, the injured party may seek compensation under the general principles of negligence or strict liability, depending on the case.<\/p>\n<p>Criminal liability for damages caused by AI systems could be possible for persons in leading roles in companies deemed to violate the Product Liability Act or the GDPR. In general, the criminal liability of management requires intent or gross negligence. Directors who have tried to act with due care but from whom the true state of affairs has been concealed may be shielded from criminal liability. On the other hand, the board must prove that it has acted with due care.<\/p>\n<p>So far there have been no cases in Finnish courts that would have dealt with civil or criminal liability related to damages caused by artificial intelligence systems. Apart from the legislation implementing the AI Act referenced under question 3 above, there are no legislative developments ongoing on this topic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Who is responsible for any harm caused by an AI system? And how is the liability allocated between the developer, the deployer, the user and the victim?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The developer of the AI system could be held liable if the harm was due to a defect in the development of the AI system. The deployer would be responsible for the implementation of the AI system and any defects in the implementation. The user of the AI system could be liable if the harm resulted from misuse or a failure to follow the operating instructions or warnings provided by the developer or deployer. The victim may seek compensation under product liability laws if the AI system is considered a product. If the AI system is not considered a product, the victim may still seek compensation under general civil liability laws, such as tort law.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">What burden of proof will have to be satisfied for the victim of the damage to obtain compensation?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The victim, under general tort law, needs to establish harm, fault on the part of the defendant, and a causal link between the behavior of the defendant and the harm suffered by the victim.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Is the use of artificial intelligence insured and\/or insurable in your jurisdiction?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>If the AI system is a product and the damage caused by such system falls under the product liability regime, it is insurable under product liability insurance. General third party liability insurance may apply to damage liability according to tort law. Information on insurance policies pertaining specifically to damages caused by and AI system is not publicly available on a wider scale. Different insurance companies may have add-on policies that address AI damages, similar to the somewhat established cyber security insurance policies, but there are no general practices in place for now. The first insurance products created specifically for damage caused by an AI system have just recently entered the market. However, until the insurance industry\u2019s understanding of the level of risk and probability of incidents related to AI increases, AI liability insurance protection policies will likely mostly remain high-premium additional components to general liability policies with somewhat low policy sub-limits for payouts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Can artificial intelligence be named an inventor in a patent application filed in your jurisdiction?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>No, current case practice of the European Patent Office has confirmed that an AI cannot be named as the inventor in a patent application (see EPO Enlarged Board of Appeal decision on 21 December 2021 J8\/20 as well as the EPO decision in EP 21 216 024.6). On the national level, though there are no explicit guidelines, the Finnish Patents Act requires that Finnish patent applications include the inventor\u2019s name and address, which makes it impossible to name an AI as the inventor.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Do images generated by and\/or with artificial intelligence benefit from copyright protection in your jurisdiction? If so, who is the authorship attributed to?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The Finnish legal system has not yet definitively addressed these emerging issues through specific legislation or landmark court decisions, leaving some uncertainty in the application of traditional copyright principles to AI-generated content.<\/p>\n<p>The current interpretation of the Finnish Copyright Act (404\/1961) is that the authorship of works subject to copyright protection can only be attributed to a person, as the purpose of copyright protection is to protect the creative work of a natural person. This position has also been adopted by Finnish authorities. Hence, where a natural person uses an AI tool as part of their creative process, such work is likely to be protected by copyright. However, if an image is generated fully by an AI tool with little to no input from a natural person (beyond a prompt), such image is unlikely to be protected by copyright.<\/p>\n<p>It is noteworthy that a prompt can be protected by copyright on its own, if the prompt is original and creative \u2013 however, such protection does not extend to the output of the AI tool based on the prompt.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">What are the main issues to consider when using artificial intelligence systems in the workplace? Have any new regulations been introduced regarding AI-driven hiring, performance assessment, or employee monitoring?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>When implementing AI in the workplace, several key issues need to be addressed. Legal and regulatory compliance is crucial, particularly in adhering to data protection laws and addressing intellectual property rights. Ethical concerns are also important, as AI can perpetuate biases and raise privacy issues, making transparency and accountability essential. While there are no AI-specific requirements regulating the use of AI systems in the workplace, many general requirements are applied, such as the Finnish Act on the Protection of Privacy in Working Life (759\/2004) and the Finnish Co-operation Act (1333\/2021).<\/p>\n<p>The impact on the workforce is significant, as AI may transform roles, necessitating retraining and upskilling. Especially if employees\u2019 roles and responsibilities change as a result of implementation of AI or such implementation has a substantial impact on the employee&#8217;s position, the ongoing dialogue obligations of the Co-operation Act must be adhered. Any reduction in the workforce or unilateral changes to essential terms of employment contracts require more extensive change negotiations.<\/p>\n<p>Technical challenges, such as ensuring data quality and system reliability, are vital for effective AI implementation. Building trust and providing adequate training to employees are necessary for successful human-AI interaction. Security is another critical issue, as AI systems must be protected from cyber and adversarial attacks. Additionally, aligning AI with strategic goals and managing workflow changes is key to organizational impact. Finally, addressing economic inequality and broader societal impacts requires a multidisciplinary approach. By considering these issues, organizations can responsibly integrate AI into the workplace.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">What privacy issues arise from the development (including training) and use of artificial intelligence?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The development and use of artificial intelligence systems in Finland raise significant privacy concerns primarily governed by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is directly applicable in Finland, and the Finnish Data Protection Act (1050\/2018).<\/p>\n<p>During the AI development and training phases, organisations typically process vast amounts of personal data. This processing must comply with GDPR principles, including lawfulness, fairness, transparency, purpose limitation, data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation, and accountability. Key privacy issues include obtaining valid legal bases for processing, ensuring data subjects are properly informed about how their data will be used in AI systems, and implementing privacy by design principles from the outset of AI development projects.<\/p>\n<p>The deployment and operational use of AI systems present additional privacy challenges. Automated decision-making provisions under Article 22 of the GDPR are particularly relevant, as individuals have the right not to be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal effects or significantly affect them, forcing organisations to implement appropriate safeguards when using automated decision making. Furthermore, AI systems often involve continuous data processing and profiling activities, which require preforming a data protection impact assessment (DPIA), regular monitoring of processing activities, and ensuring individuals can exercise their rights including access, rectification, erasure, and data portability.<\/p>\n<p>The unauthorized use of personal data to train AI models poses a significant threat as it jeopardizes the privacy of the data subjects, and the deletion of that data may prove impossible. AI may be also used to create deep fakes and to facilitate cyber attacks, which may result in AI tools being used for criminal purposes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">How is data scraping regulated in your jurisdiction from an IP, privacy and competition point of view? Are there any recent precedents addressing the legality of data scraping for AI training?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Web scraping could infringe on someone&#8217;s copyrights if the scraping involves reproducing copyrighted literary or artistic works without the consent of the rights holder. However, the Finnish Copyright Act provides for an exemption for the use of copyrighted works for text and data mining. According to Section 13 (b) of the Act, anyone with lawful access to a copyrighted work may reproduce it in order to carry out text and data mining and retain the copies solely for that purpose, unless this right has been expressly reserved by the author in an appropriate manner.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, the EU GDPR sets down limitations for the use of data scraping techniques involving processing of personal data. Controllers carrying out web scraping must comply with the general data processing principles of the GDPR (fairness, transparency, accuracy, data minimization, integrity and confidentiality), including having a legal basis and legitimate purpose for the processing, limiting the collection and storage of personal data and ensuring the fulfillment of data subject rights in relation to the processing.<\/p>\n<p>The use of data scraping could also have implications for competition, for example if scraping of user data affects a company&#8217;s position in the market. However, Finnish courts or the Finnish Competition Authority have not as of yet issued any rulings on the relation of data scraping and competition law.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">To what extent is the prohibition of data scraping in the terms of use of a website enforceable?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>However, according to the Finnish Copyright Act, a prohibition of reproducing copyrighted works for text and data mining must be stated explicitly in order for it to be enforceable. Additionally, the Act provides for further exemptions for research organizations and cultural heritage institutions to reproduce copyrighted works for data mining, which cannot be derogated from in contracts and agreements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Have the privacy authorities of your jurisdiction issued guidelines on artificial intelligence?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>In May 2025, the Finnish Data Protection Ombudsman published a <a href=\"https:\/\/tietosuoja.fi\/tekoalyjarjestelmat-ja-tietosuoja\">guideline<\/a> on data protection in the development and use of artificial intelligence systems. The guideline deals with topics such as the definition of artificial intelligence systems, how data protection should be taken into account when dealing with AI systems, applicability of data protection principles, risk assessment, prohibited practices and high-risk AI systems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Have the privacy authorities of your jurisdiction discussed cases involving artificial intelligence? If yes, what are the key takeaways from these cases?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Currently, there has been one case, decided on 20 September 2021 concerning the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service \u201cFSIS\u201d (3394\/171\/21) in which the Finnish Deputy Data Protection Ombudsman took a stand. A group in the FSIS had tested Clearview AI to assess its suitability to use in protecting children against sexual exploitation and the distribution of pornographic material of children. The services could be used to search a potential victim&#8217;s public social media profile by entering his or her picture into Clearview\u2019s service. The FSIS filed a data breach notification to the Finnish data protection authority after its investigation that started from an inquiry from an US online publication.<\/p>\n<p>The Finnish Deputy Data Protection Ombudsman deemed the processing unlawful as the FSIS had used facial recognition technologies without conducting any appropriate controls or safeguards, especially taken into concern the high risk posed to data subjects from the processing. No fine was imposed on the police authority, but the Deputy Data Protection Ombudsman ordered the FSIS to bring the processing into compliance and to notify the identified data subjects about the breach.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Have your national courts already managed cases involving artificial intelligence? If yes, what are the key takeaways from these cases?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>At the time of writing, no national courts have taken a stand in cases involving AI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Does your country have a regulator or authority responsible for supervising the use and development of artificial intelligence?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>As mentioned in Section 3, according to current information, the market surveillance tasks required by the EU AI Act are to be distributed among several different authorities in Finland. In accordance with the draft Act on the supervision of certain artificial intelligence systems, the market surveillance authorities would be the Safety and Chemicals Agency, Customs, the Transport and Communications Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Authority, the Finnish Medicines Agency, the Energy Authority, the Data Protection Ombudsman, the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, the Financial Supervisory Authority, and the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southwestern Finland. The competent market authority will be determined according to the purpose of use of the artificial intelligence system.\u00a0 Other national authorities will also be assigned supervisory tasks related to the AI Regulation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">How would you define the use of artificial intelligence by businesses in your jurisdiction? Is it widespread or limited? Which sectors have seen the most rapid adoption of AI technologies?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>At the time of writing, the use of artificial intelligence by businesses is steadily growing but still limited. According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.etla.fi\/julkaisut\/muistiot\/generatiivisen-tekoalyn-kaytto-suomessa-havaintoja-syksyn-2024-kyselysta\/\">study<\/a> from end of 2024, generative AI is used for work purposes by 29% of Finnish employees, but only 11% have weekly use, and only 8% have use in domains where generative AI is particularly suitable. More and more companies are moving from proof-of-concept and piloting into proper implementation of AI. In general, interest in AI is high, and most Finnish companies will likely formulate some sort of a strategy or opinion on the use of AI in the near future. Another <a href=\"\/aifinland.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/fi_tekoalyntilasuomessa_aifinlandbusinessfinland_2025.pdf\">study<\/a> suggests that while there are a lot of AI-native startups in Finland, most of them are still in their early stages. Mature companies are mainly focusing on using AI to boost and optimize their existing processes.<\/p>\n<p>The documentation of AI technology use in the form of policies, comprehensive instructions or governance models is lagging actual use. A <a href=\"https:\/\/stat.fi\/julkaisu\/cln3odelx9f5x0bvziegurum4\">study<\/a> on the topic from 2024 suggest that less than half the companies adopting AI technologies have drawn up documentation concerning the use. The authors suspect that understanding of the need to document AI use is slowly on the rise, but there is still a lot of ground to cover to ensure proper AI governance.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the obvious early-adopting ICT sector, the financial sector stands at the forefront of AI adoption, with most companies in the sector either already using or planning to deploy advanced AI solutions, including generative models and machine learning. Larger organizations lead this transformation, but smaller entities are also catching up, albeit sometimes with more limited resources and governance structures.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Is artificial intelligence being used in the legal sector, by lawyers and\/or in-house counsels? If so, how? Are AI-driven legal tools widely adopted, and what are the main regulatory concerns surrounding them?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Following the introduction of multiple affordable and capable AI tools geared specifically for lawyers, the use of AI in the legal sector has significantly increased in the last year. Lawyers on the Finnish market are vibrantly discussing the change in legal work ushered by the proliferation of AI tools. Commercial training is being actively offered for lawyers to lower the bar to start using AI in the legal work by several different service providers in a usually somewhat concentrated market and Finnish lawyers seem to be adopting the technology quite rapidly on a general level.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">What are the 5 key challenges and the 5 key opportunities raised by artificial intelligence for lawyers in your jurisdiction?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The biggest challenge is the potential underuse of artificial intelligence. Also, implementing AI solutions can be expensive and require significant resources. There is bound to be resistance from experienced lawyers who are accustomed to traditional methods and are skeptical about the reliability and benefits of AI technology.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, lawyers often handle sensitive and confidential information, and using AI tools can raise significant ethical and privacy issues. AI systems can inadvertently perpetuate or amplify biases present in training data, leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes in legal decision-making.<\/p>\n<p>Some legal tech solutions have been out of reach in the Finnish market because of their pricing. AI \u00a0has already brought more opportunities, for example in document review and analysis, in lower license fees. Just like in all jurisdictions, AI will increase efficiency and streamline work. Cross-border legal research and legal work has been made significantly easier and quicker due to AI solutions being able to work effortlessly with almost any language. AI will undoubtedly ease lawyers\u2019 work and reduce the time required to conduct certain tasks, but also bring more work to lawyers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Where do you see the most significant legal developments in artificial intelligence in your jurisdiction in the next 12 months? Are there any ongoing initiatives that could reshape AI governance?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The EU AI Act entered into force on 1 August 2024. General-purpose AI rules including governance requirements are next in line to come into force from 2 August 2025.<\/p>\n<p>In Finland, the focus is currently on implementing the requirements of the EU AI Act and the most significant legal developments relate to the proposed Act on the supervision of certain artificial intelligence systems concerning supervisory authorities and the system of sanctions. As a second part of the implementation of the AI Act, the government proposal for national legislation for the establishment of a national regulatory sandbox for AI and for the establishment of a national register for high-risk AI systems related to critical infrastructure is expected to come in force on 2 August 2026. Currently, there are no other significant legislative proposals pending in Finland related to artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<p>As for the AI governance, the Ministry of Finance has published in February 2025 guidelines for public administrations on the use of generative AI. The purpose of the guidelines is to bring public administration activities into line with current regulations on artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n<div class=\"word-count-hidden\" style=\"display:none;\">Estimated word count: <span class=\"word-count\">4375<\/span><\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t<\/ol>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/twentyseventeen\/src\/jquery\/components\/filter-guides.js\" async><\/script><\/div>"}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comparative_guide\/109372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comparative_guide"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/comparative_guide"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}