Norwegian IT industry uses the most AI and shrinks the most

The information and communication sector in Norway has the highest adoption rate of artificial intelligence in the country, with between 87 and 95 percent of companies using the technology depending on company size. This adoption spans across thousands of predominantly small businesses rather than just a few large players. At the same time, this sector was the only industry in Norway where employment fell in 2025, dropping by half a percent while labor costs increased by over four percent.

Data from Statistics Norway shows a national shift in how businesses use artificial intelligence between 2023 and 2026. The proportion of companies using AI for corporate governance and administrative processes grew from 19 to 38 percent, and usage in marketing and sales rose from 29 percent. Meanwhile, use fell in accounting, information security, and research and development. This indicates that AI is increasingly used for decision-making on behalf of companies rather than just automating isolated tasks.

This combination of heavy AI adoption and shrinking employment in the nation's most advanced sector serves as a warning for the rest of the working life as other industries reach the same maturity level. Relying on AI for budgets and organizational changes makes accountability and traceability difficult for employees who must live with those decisions. Companies adopting AI in management should specifically measure and report how it impacts staffing needs over time rather than simply tracking productivity gains.