The Ministry of Health and Care Services has tasked the Norwegian Directorate of Health with developing a joint AI plan for the health and care services, in collaboration with the Norwegian Medicines Agency (NOMA), the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA), the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision, the regional health authorities, and the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS). As part of the work on this plan, the Norwegian Directorate of Health has been tasked with conducting an assessment "of what risks large language models introduce and identify measures to ensure that the health and care services have access to language model(s) that are adapted to Norwegian conditions." This report addresses that mandate.
The work has been carried out through interviews with experts and literature studies of relevant research articles and reports related to research on, development of, and use of large language models in Norway. The following persons and institutions have been involved in the work: Benjamin Kille (NTNU/NorwAI), Svein Arne Brygfjeld (National Library of Norway), Geir Thore Berge and Tor Oddbjørn Tveit (Sørlandet Hospital), Troels Sune Mønsted (University of Oslo), Christian Autenried (Helse Vest ICT), Damoun Nassehi (General Practitioner/UiB), Michael A. Riegler (Simula and OsloMet), Jens Osberg (Norwegian Digitalisation Agency), Karl Øyvind Mikalsen (Center for Patient-Centered Artificial Intelligence (SPKI)), Kristine Eide, Matias Jentoft and Bjarte Engelsland (Language Council). We wish to thank them for willingly participating in interviews throughout the project. We extend special thanks to Michael Riegler for close follow-up, advisory work, and quality assurance of texts.
Chapter 3 on risks in the use of large language models in health and care services and Chapter 4 on adaptations to the Norwegian health and care services provide the knowledge base and background for recommended measures.
The report reflects knowledge at the beginning of 2025. AI is a rapidly developing field and new legislation from the EU will affect the use of AI in Norway. This report recommends measures that should be initiated now to lay the foundation for safe and responsible use of AI going forward.
Prioritization of recommended measures will be done in dialogue with the Ministry of Health and Care Services, the AI Council, and the leadership of the Norwegian Directorate of Health. Prioritized measures will be incorporated into the Joint AI Plan for Health and Care Services on an ongoing basis. A majority of the measures will extend beyond the planning period for the joint AI plan, which lasts until the end of 2025.
Oslo, April 1, 2025