The small Baltic Sea nation of Estonia is emerging as an AI powerhouse. Estonia is pursuing an AI-based education integration program and spreading AI-assisted cancer diagnosis technology and automated digital administrative services. The government is also actively seeking to apply AI in the judicial sector. ChosunBiz interviews Estonia's AI practitioners across fields to hear how the country reinvented itself as an AI leader. [Editor's note]
"Since the 1990s, right after independence, Estonia has maintained digitalization and technological innovation as a core national strategy. Even when administrations and ideologies changed, the 'digital first' stance did not. I believe the decisiveness not to postpone innovation made today's AI powerhouse Estonia."
Kamel Tellis, deputy chief of mission at the Estonian Embassy in Korea, explained Estonia's secrets to advancing artificial intelligence (AI) in a face-to-face interview with ChosunBiz. Tellis is a trade and investment expert who has worked across the private sector and government for about 10 years. Before joining the government, Tellis worked as a lawyer at a law firm, supporting corporations up close.
Tellis analyzed that the historical backdrop of needing to narrow the gap with neighboring countries quickly after the Soviet collapse, and the geographic reality of a sparsely distributed population with low administrative accessibility, combined with a government focus on practicality, gave rise to Estonia's AI competitiveness. Today, Estonia continues to make strides, with about 60 government agencies using AI. The following is a Q&A with Tellis.
— Estonia is regarded as a global leader in AI. Where does its AI competitiveness come from?
"Estonia's AI competitiveness comes from a strong digital government infrastructure. For years, Estonia has provided nearly 100% of public services online. Everything from paying taxes and issuing prescriptions to registering marriages and voting in general elections can be handled online 24/7. In the process, structured public data, interoperable network systems, and digital ID infrastructure have been built up—and above all, public trust in digital services has taken root. AI development naturally followed from this environment."
— Do you mean AI policy was not pushed through in a short time?
"Correct. There are limits to ramming through policy suddenly. Because a digital- and data-based administrative system was already functioning smoothly, the introduction of AI could also proceed easily. Back in the 1990s, Estonia built a pro-digital culture with the 'Tiger Leap' policy to put computers in every classroom. Continuing that momentum was the 'AI Leap' policy introduced last year. Instead of shaming a majority of students for using AI chatbots in their studies, the government chose to shape and teach responsible usage. This shows Estonia's attitude toward a rapidly growing AI."
— How is AI actually being used in the public institutional sector?
"In Estonia's public institutional sector today, more than 130 AI use cases have been reported across 65 agencies. That number is being updated rapidly every year. One point to note is that most of these are small tools to improve administrative efficiency rather than large-scale projects. For example, the Tax and Customs Board uses an AI-based tax evasion detection system to monitor the tax payment process and focus personnel on major tax evasion cases. The Unemployment Insurance Fund also uses AI to identify job seekers at high risk of long-term unemployment early and link them to policy support. In Parliament, meeting content is automatically recorded by an AI transcription program.
The government chatbot "Bürokratt" is also indispensable. Bürokratt integrates and guides public service information scattered across ministries, with the advantage of providing information from dozens of government agencies at once. In short, AI handles repetitive and exhausting tasks, while humans take on high value-added work and final decisions."
— How does Estonia's AI strategy differ from those of other countries?
"Estonia's AI strategy is premised on a human-centric approach. The government is not trying to replace citizens with AI. Rather, it will actively use AI as a tool to improve citizens' welfare and efficiency. Any AI system that affects citizens' rights or obligations must have human oversight and final approval, and algorithms must be explainable and built transparently.
To make this possible, the Estonian government operates an e-governance platform that discloses information such as the algorithms of AI systems used by the government. The government is also addressing additional issues that can arise from AI—for example, job search difficulties or the digital literacy gap among older adults. Expanding lifelong education across generations and public-private AI education likewise falls under these efforts."
— Has the expansion of digital government raised any information security issues?
"Trust is the core of digital government. And trust can only be maintained when both transparency of information and strong security are ensured. To avoid breaking public trust, the government has made continuous efforts on security. In 2007, Estonia faced an unprecedented situation in which major networks were paralyzed by a massive DDoS attack. At the time, cyberattacks indiscriminately targeted central government ministries, the prime minister's office, Parliament, and banks, leaving the internet paralyzed for nearly two weeks. This prompted the government to strengthen security across the board.
For example, in 2018 Estonia became the first in the world to establish a Data Embassy. It distributes copies of critical national data so a digitally based state can continue even during geopolitical crises. NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence and the European Union's IT-related bodies are also located in Estonia, symbolically showing how much the Estonian government prioritizes security."
— How do you assess the potential for AI cooperation with Korea?
"I believe Estonia and Korea are very natural partners in AI. Both countries already have advanced digital government and ICT infrastructure, and both make technological innovation a core national strategy. The two countries also face common challenges. They are exposed to cyberattacks geopolitically, are entering aging societies, and must solve a nationwide talent shortage. From this perspective, the potential for cooperation is very large.
Among various areas, I think the potential is especially large for cooperation on AI use in education. Korea is actively investing in education, and I understand there are a variety of exchanges in education at the level of the Estonian Embassy in Korea. I also expect active collaboration between the two countries on Smart City solutions and building ethical AI governance."