Tag Archives: Tech Talent Network

Tech Talent Network Kicks Off 2025 at the Heart of Norwegian Democracy

AmCham News,

Tech Talent Network Kicks Off 2025 at the Heart of Norwegian Democracy

The first gathering of the Tech Talent Network in 2025 took place at the Storting (Norwegian Parliament), hosted by Member of Parliament Mahmoud Farahmand (H). Participants were warmly welcomed into the heart of Norwegian democracy and heard from two keynote speakers: Farahmand, who provided a deep dive into Norway’s political system, and Pål Arne Davidsen from Rud Pedersen Public Affairs, who offered insight into how EU policies are shaping Norway’s tech landscape.

Mahmoud Farahmand (H) and participants
Pål Arne Davidsen, Rud Pedersen

Inside Norwegian Policymaking

As a Member of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, Farahmand introduced participants to the structure and inner workings of Norway’s political system, from policy development to legislative approval. He shared reflections on how political decisions are made and underscored the value of informed dialogue between policymakers and professionals; especially in rapidly evolving fields like technology.

Farahmand also led a discussion on the role of technology in tackling major societal shifts, such as declining birth rates and an aging population. He emphasized the need to strengthen digital competence and education across sectors to ensure Norway remains equipped to adapt and lead in an increasingly tech-driven world.

About the AmCham Tech Talent Network

TTN is a non-competitive arena for knowledge sharing, professional development, and expanding international market insights, currently open to select Patron-level technology industry member representatives. Exclusive quarterly sessions with industry leaders and external speakers create opportunities for collaboration and leadership development.

For further information and interest in the program, please contact Ragnhild.Dalen@amcham.no.

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network at SAS: Trustworthy AI and Cyber Attacks

AmCham News

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network at SAS: Trustworthy AI and Cyber Attacks

The fourth and final Tech Talent Network gathering of the year was hosted by SAS. Participants gained insights on the evolution of ethics, privacy, and regulation in data analytics and AI with SAS’s Anette Jakobsen, while Simen Bakke walked the group through a previous supply-chain attack against SolarWinds and exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange.

Trustworthy AI

Anette Jakobsen, Principal Advisor – Advanced Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, emphasized that AI presents both immense opportunities and formidable challenges. While AI presents great potential in improving access to- and quality of healthcare, allowing banks to more easily detect and prevent fraud, and optimize energy use, it can also amplify biases, threaten individual privacy, and perpetuate social inequalities.

“Taking advantage of AI begins with AI literacy and building trust in AI.”

Anette Jakobsen
Participants welcomed at SAS' offices

The general lack of understanding and acceptance of AI presents a major challenge in adopting the tool. The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer found that globally, only 30% embrace AI, while 35% reject its growing use. Resistance to AI is stronger in developed economies, where 45% reject the growing use, and only 21% accept it. This highlights the need for trustworthy AI, which Jakobsen argues should include six key principles: human centricity, inclusivity, accountability, transparency, robustness, and privacy & security. Furthermore, ethical considerations must be made by companies creating and taking advantage of AI, considering the purpose, end goal, and potential negative impact of its use.

Simen Bakke, Senior Advisor at Police ICT-Services, discussed two significant cyberattacks affecting both US and Norwegian entities. The 2020-21 SolarWinds attack involved hackers, likely linked to Russia’s SVR, inserting a backdoor (Sunburst) into Orion network management software, which was distributed to 18,000 customers globally, including US government agencies and Norges Bank. While Norway reported no active exploitation, the breach revealed gaps in detection systems like the U.S. EINSTEIN program and underscored the need for stronger software supply chain defenses and faster response measures.


The Microsoft Exchange hack, attributed to China’s Hafnium group, exploited four zero-day vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to email servers globally. Beginning in January 2021, attackers installed “web shells” on thousands of systems, targeting both US and Norwegian organizations, including Stortinget, which experienced breaches and email theft. The incident highlighted the risks of exposing email servers to the internet, emphasizing the importance of strong access controls, rapid patching, and continuous monitoring to prevent future exploitation.

About the AmCham Tech Talent Network

TTN is a non-competitive arena for knowledge sharing, professional development, and expanding international market insights, currently open to select Patron-level technology industry member representatives. Exclusive quarterly sessions with industry leaders and external speakers create opportunities for collaboration and leadership development.

For further information and interest in the program, please contact Ragnhild.Dalen@amcham.no.

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network at Microsoft: Tech Geopolitics & AI Era Innovation

January 26, 2024 No Comments

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network (TTN) gathered at Microsoft Norway’s offices, with Nordic Director of Government Affairs Kristine Beitland warmly welcoming participants and addressing the era of tech geopolitics. Beitland emphasized the need for knowledge sharing on fast-paced technological developments for robust regulatory frameworks, especially during periods of global instability

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AmCham’s Tech Talent Network at AWS: DEI in the Workplace & the Increasing Importance of Cybersecurity

AmCham News

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network at AWS: DEI in the Workplace & the Increasing Importance of Cybersecurity

The third Tech Talent Network (TTN) gathering of the year was hosted by AWS, where participants had the opportunity to meet with Nathalie Håkenstad on the impact and aims of DEI in the workplace and Martin Ingenes on the increasing role of cybersecurity for businesses and organizations.

DEI drives better business

Nathalie Håkenstad, Enterprise Account Manager at Amazon Web Services (AWS), discussed the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within the workplace and how companies should integrate these principles into their business strategy. She emphasized that DEI is not a quick fix or a mere checkbox exercise but is fundamentally about ensuring representation, fairness, and a sense of belonging for all employees.

Nathalie explained that a diverse workforce isn’t just morally right; it also drives better business outcomes by appealing to a broader customer base and building trust through better connections. DEI initiatives help ensure that all employees feel they can bring their true selves to work, which in turn positively impacts customer relationships.

 

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A need for more proactive cybersecurity

Martin Ingenes, founder of and principal consultant at the penetration testing company Kovert, highlighted the critical role of cybersecurity in protecting organizations from increasingly sophisticated threats. Kovert specializes in penetration testing, red team simulations, and social engineering, including phishing attacks that exploit human error to gain unauthorized access.

Martin underscored the persistent challenge in cybersecurity, where defenders often think in lists, while attackers think in graphs, making the latter better equipped in finding vulnerabilities. He provided examples of how phishing sites can be used to deceive users and how attackers, once inside, can navigate through multiple levels of an organization’s defenses. Martin stressed the importance of proactive security measures, as rates of attacks are increasing from a broad range of actors around the globe.

Afterwards TTN participants gathered for afterwork drinks at Aker Brygge for networking and planning future TTN topics.

TTN is a non-competitive arena for knowledge sharing, professional development, and expanding international market insights, currently open to select Patron-level technology industry member representatives. Exclusive quarterly sessions with industry leaders and external speakers create opportunities for collaboration and leadership development.

For further information and interest in the program, please contact Ragnhild.Dalen@amcham.no.

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network at Microsoft: Tech Geopolitics & AI Era Innovation

AmCham News,

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network at Microsoft: Tech Geopolitics & AI Era Innovation

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network (TTN) gathered at Microsoft Norway’s offices, with Nordic Director of Government Affairs Kristine Beitland warmly welcoming participants and addressing the era of tech geopolitics. Beitland emphasized the need for knowledge sharing on fast-paced technological developments for robust regulatory frameworks, especially during periods of global instability. “We are all in the same ballgame to protect democracy,” she stated.

Innovation at Microsoft in the Era of AI

National Technology Officer at Microsoft Norway, Christopher Frenning, took participants on a journey through time and leadership, explaining Microsoft’s development from the 1970s to the “AI era” we are now all experiencing. Like Beitland, he emphasized the need for cooperation, but also among tech companies, arguing that “innovation cannot be constrained – we must use the knowledge that is out there.” An important driver of this innovation is inclusivity and partnership, both among coworkers and customers, which has been vital for Microsoft’s success. The not invented here syndrome, he asserted, is a thing of the past.

A special thanks to Stine Saatvedt for giving us an office tour and to all the TTN participants for their engagement!

About the AmCham Tech Talent Network

TTN is a non-competitive arena for knowledge sharing, professional development, and expanding international market insights, currently open to select Patron-level technology industry member representatives. Exclusive quarterly sessions with industry leaders and external speakers create opportunities for collaboration and leadership development.

For further information and interest in the program, please contact Ragnhild.Dalen@amcham.no.

Tech Talent Network at Google: AI Innovation, Future & Policy

AmCham News,

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network at Google: AI Innovation, Future & Policy

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network (TTN) gathered at Google Norway’s offices, with Country Director Tine Austvoll Jensen warmly welcoming participants and addressing how Google is harnessing AI for good. Recently celebrating 25 years of innovation “1998-style,” a lot has happened since Larry and Sergey started Google in their rented garage.

Tine shared her excitement for what the future holds as we experience one of the biggest technological shifts in our lifetimes, and referenced Pew Research Center’s recent in-depth report As AI Spreads, Experts Predict the Best and Worst Changes in Digital Life by 2035.

Google’s Technical Lead for Data and ML, Sina Nek Akhtar, delved even deeper into the history of AI and demonstrated how the company is helping industries utilize these tools to drive business innovation and success.

What Can Norway Learn from US AI Policy?

Earlier this year, Norway’s Ministry of Education and Research signed an MOU with the US Department of Energy to work more closely on research, innovation, education, and ethical issues in the field of artificial intelligence.

Participants welcomed at Google Norway's offices

Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Consortium (NORA) Senior Policy Advisor Alex Moltzau joined TTN’ers to share policy updates, challenges, and his thoughts on Norway’s new digitalization strategy due out in 2024.

NORA is a collaboration between eight Norwegian universities (NMBU, OsloMet, UiA, UiB, UiO, UiS, UiT and USN), three colleges (BI, HiØ and HK) and five research institutes (NORCE, Simula, SINTEF, WNRI and NR) to strengthen Norwegian research, education and innovation within artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics.

Alex discussed ongoing developments in the United States, and particularly ongoing National Artificial Intelligence Research Task Force work. Further, the CREATE AI Act introduced to US Congress this summer could be used as inspiration for Norwegian policy development and collaboration.

Alex went on to urge the technology talents in the room to consider getting more involved in local policy work, staying updated and engaging with politicians. He also noted the critical need to educate lawmakers, pointing to the Congressional Bootcamp on AI that the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) has organized, and their work to inform political staffers.

About the AmCham Tech Talent Network

TTN is a non-competitive arena for knowledge sharing, professional development, and expanding international market insights, currently open to select Patron-level technology industry member representatives. Exclusive quarterly sessions with industry leaders and external speakers create opportunities for collaboration and leadership development.

For further information and interest in the program, please contact Madeleine.Brekke@amcham.no.

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network at Microsoft: Tech Geopolitics & AI Era Innovation

January 26, 2024 No Comments

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network (TTN) gathered at Microsoft Norway’s offices, with Nordic Director of Government Affairs Kristine Beitland warmly welcoming participants and addressing the era of tech geopolitics. Beitland emphasized the need for knowledge sharing on fast-paced technological developments for robust regulatory frameworks, especially during periods of global instability

Read More »

Tech Talent Network at Oracle: SmartForest & Smart National AI Strategy

AmCham News,

Tech Talent Network at Oracle: SmartForest & Smart National AI Strategy

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network (TTN) recently gathered at Oracle Norway’s offices, with Managing Director Tore Bjelland welcoming participants and addressing evolving challenges and demands on leaders in a time of rapid development within the tech industry. He emphasized the importance of focusing on the next generation of leaders, as well represented in the room.

Oracle’s Martin Johansson eagerly presented the NIBIO Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research’s SmartForest project, combining AI, ML, and cloud computing to improve the Norwegian forestry industry’s efficiency, profitability, and sustainability. Using leading-edge and emerging technology such as drones, sensors, and satellites, important data can be collected to observe forest health and collect accurate harvesting information, enabling proper machinery and precise wood supply – creating a digital twin of the Norwegian forestry network. 

Participants welcomed by Oracle's Tore Bjelland

AI Regulation in Norway

Høyre Stortingsgruppe Political Advisor Martin Willoch Olstad joined TTN’ers to share regulatory updates, challenges, political initiatives, and perspectives on Norway’s national AI strategy.

Olstad explained that Høyre’s newly formed AI working group will look at opportunities for the use of AI in the public sector for better and more efficient services, job, and value creation – identifying areas of competitive advantage and regulations to be put into place in addition to the EU’s AI Act.

Norway’s National Strategy for AI report, published in 2020, has both strengths and weaknesses according to Olstad. Although the strategy is only three years old, industry is moving much faster than regulation. With TTN participants contributing their commercial perspectives, the consensus was one of concern that strict regulation will hinder innovation and Norway’s competitive advantage in the field. Making sure that decision makers have enough information and knowledge is crucial for revision, as well as clarifying language that can have a major impact on what is and isn’t covered.

Following an engaging exchange, participants eagerly shared their ideas for future TTN topics and guest presenters.

About the AmCham Tech Talent Network

TTN is designed to be a non-competitive arena for knowledge sharing, professional development, and expanding international market insights. Exclusive quarterly sessions with industry leaders and external speakers create opportunities for collaboration and development of leadership skills. Read more about the program HERE.

For further information and interest in the program, please contact Madeleine.Brekke@amcham.no.