The co-development platform AI Sandbox could accelerate Finland’s journey toward 600 times faster and significantly more responsible AI-driven software development. This is the vision outlined by the SW4E ecosystem, a community that brings together software companies and research organizations in Finland.
The goal is to build a shared and secure environment where Finnish researchers, companies, and public organizations can jointly develop AI and software solutions – faster, responsibly, and in alignment with European values.
Co-development is Finland’s strength
Finland is known as a society built on trust, where collaboration across organizational boundaries is natural and effective. This gives Finland a unique advantage in the AI revolution: while elsewhere AI is often developed in closed silos, Finland has the opportunity to advance together – openly and in a controlled way.
“Co-creation is the only way to keep up with the rapid pace of AI. Finland has an exceptionally strong starting point for this: world-class research, agile companies, and a trust-based operating culture. AI Sandbox brings these strengths together and creates the foundation for joint AI development that respects European values.” says Professor Pekka Abrahamsson from the GPT Lab at Tampere University, who has led the development of the newly released AI Sandbox concept.
The networks exist – now we need a shared technical foundation
Finland already has strong collaboration networks, such as AI Finland and Agentics Finland, bringing together organizations that develop and utilize artificial intelligence. AI Sandbox could unite these networks through a shared technical resource – a space where ideas can be tested, scaled, and validated safely, without each company having to build everything on its own.
In practice, AI Sandbox could enable companies to evaluate how a new AI model performs in different environments – for example, in industry, logistics, or services.
Through a shared AI Sandbox, these tests can be conducted collaboratively, using common methods and transparent results – while ensuring that each participant’s data, IP, and responsibilities remain separate. This approach fosters trust, comparability, and collective learning that no single organization could achieve alone.
“We already have the networks and the know-how. Now it’s time to build a common platform that makes Finland’s AI development faster and more impactful.
AI Sandbox is a step toward becoming a global leader in AI,” says Roope Pajasmaa, Lead of the SW4E ecosystem from the co-creation spelialized company DIMECC Ltd.
Prototype shows the way – now it’s time to join in
The definition and prototype of AI Sandbox have been developed jointly by DIMECC and Tampere University’s GPT Lab, with active participation from all company and research members of the SW4E ecosystem. The prototype demonstrates that a multi-stakeholder, EU AI Act–compliant, and secure experimental environment is both technically and organizationally feasible in Finland.
The next step is to bring together companies and research organizations interested in co-designing and building the concrete implementation of AI Sandbox – for instance, through R&D funding projects.
“This is an open invitation to everyone who wants to take part in creating a shared AI development platform in Finland. Now is the right moment to seize the opportunity and build something even more tangible that strengthens the entire Finnish innovation ecosystem,” adds Roope Pajasmaa.
AI Sandbox in brief
- Status: Definition and prototype phase
- Vision: 600 times faster and more responsible AI experimentation culture
- Foundation: Finland’s trust-based society and co-creation culture
- Developers: DIMECC, Tampere University / GPT Lab, SW4E ecosystem members
- Next step: Engaging interested companies in co-development and funding preparation