Norway faces artificial general intelligence as a passive buyer

The arrival of advanced artificial intelligence models like GPT-6 Astra and Claude Fable 5.1 marks the practical entry of artificial general intelligence into the economy. These systems can autonomously operate computers, navigate the web, analyze spreadsheets, write code, and execute complex multi-step tasks based solely on a user description.

Research organization METR measures this evolution through how long models can work independently, noting that their endurance doubles roughly every seven months. As models move from handling tasks that take a half-hour of professional labor to tasks requiring entire workdays or multiple days, they open up vast segments of knowledge work to automation.

This technological race is fueled by immense investments because AI models can be copied instantly, run continuously, and be upgraded globally. Companies and countries that control this digital infrastructure gain a strategic position comparable to the mechanical power unlocked during the industrial revolution.

Norway currently faces this technological shift primarily as a passive buyer. While the country has high capital, energy, education, and public data, the core models, chips, and cloud services are controlled abroad. As Norwegian businesses integrate these systems into their daily workflows, their reliance on foreign infrastructure grows, making it crucial for Norway to decide what production capacity it must own before dependencies become irreversible.