We met with Peder Lindencrona to discuss AI and his experience in building companies. Together with Anders Rennermalm, he hosts the podcast ”Så funkar AI” (”How AI Works”), where they explore the opportunities and risks of AI.
How did your interest in AI begin?
”I studied engineering at KTH, where I met Anders on the first day. We quickly became friends, and during our studies, we started a business selling computers we built to our classmates. After KTH, Anders and I launched Tankebolaget, and since then, I’ve focused on startups and growth companies, building organizations from 3 to 300 employees, always within tech-driven software solutions. I co-founded Get Compliant, an app for the hospitality and retail sectors that helps staff consolidate all tasks and documentation into one simple app. The Spanish company Mapal, specializing in workforce scheduling, reached out as they wanted to create a comprehensive platform for the European market. Following their acquisition of Get Compliant, I am now the Nordic Head and Product Manager for our compliance products, which are being implemented across multiple countries. Our clients in Sweden include Coop, Sibylla, Espresso House, and Brödernas.”
How are you using AI within Mapal?
”We use AI to guide employees on how to use our products and to generate instructions tailored to specific situations. For example, it could advise on handling a customer complaint or preparing a hamburger. We use a language model trained on both our own and our clients’ data.”
Why did you start the podcast ”Så funkar AI”?
”When ChatGPT emerged, we realized we knew very little about the subject, so we started the podcast as a kind of learning journey. Rather than Anders and I being experts, our idea was to use our guests to teach both us and the listeners how to understand and leverage AI. With over 30 years of IT experience each, we were interested not just in the technology but in other aspects like copyright, ethics, and sustainability. We’ve interviewed a lawyer on copyright and a sustainability expert about AI’s energy consumption, and since the beginning of the year, we’ve released 15 episodes. In our second season, we hope to interview users and ‘thought leaders’ about how they implement AI and train it with their data. We both believe there are significant opportunities for companies and organizations, but many don’t take the leap due to a lack of knowledge. This fall, we started giving lectures to spread awareness about AI’s possibilities and challenges. It’s incredibly rewarding to meet people and hear their responses, which is essential for us. We get input from the real world, from people who use AI and those who don’t.”
What is the biggest challenge for companies implementing AI?
”Many companies are hesitant to embrace AI due to a lack of understanding. They simply don’t know which problems AI is good at solving or how to proceed responsibly. Choosing not to invest in AI is fine if the company has a clear strategy and can explain why. In the long run, companies that don’t embrace this technology risk falling behind their competitors.”
What does AI mean for individuals?
”AI has a substantial impact on our daily lives, even if we don’t always notice it. For example, AI can assist doctors in interpreting X-rays. But with technologies like deepfakes, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to discern what is real. We need to be critical of sources and choose which ones to trust.”
What are the risks associated with AI?
”One example is when AI is directly connected to decision-making without human oversight. An AI system connected to a weapon will make decisions faster without a human in the loop, but it probably can’t assess all risks like a human would. Processing personal data is also sensitive, which is why ethical guidelines, like the EU AI Act, are essential to govern what’s permissible within AI development in Europe. Most models have an ethical framework that guides their responses, but naturally, there are countries and actors that operate without such rules, which is concerning.”
- Så Funkar AI (in Swedish): https://podd.safunkarai.se/
- Learn more: “Generative AI in a Nutshell” on YouTube
- The EU’s AI Act: A Landmark Step in Regulating Artificial Intelligence, article by Dorel Iosef: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/eus-ai-act-landmark-step-regulating-artificial-dorel-iosif-ph-d-ipfde/
- AI & HR Podden (in Swedish): Spotify episode
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