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Early AI stage
85 percent of Swedish industrial companies are still in the exploration or pilot phase with AI.Data quality as an obstacle
51 percent of companies see lack of data quality and data access as the biggest challenge to scaling AI.Supply chain optimization
AI is expected to provide the greatest value in supply chain optimization according to respondents.Corporate ambitions and speed
Companies rate their ability to quickly adopt AI at 3.53 out of 5, indicating cautious optimism.Data quality is the biggest obstacle to scaling up AI, while four out of ten Swedish respondents are not yet using AI.
Despite high expectations for AI, Swedish industrial companies are still in the early stages of implementation. A new Nordic survey from IFS shows that 85 percent of Swedish respondents are still exploring AI or conducting pilot projects, while only 15 percent have moved on to actual implementation. Meanwhile, 40 percent say they are not yet using AI tools at all.
The survey shows that the biggest challenge is not a lack of interest, but data. 51 percent of Swedish respondents point to data quality and access to data as one of the biggest obstacles to scaling up AI. 
– Swedish industrial companies see the opportunities with AI, but the survey shows that the right conditions are required to move from experiments to real business value, says Mattias Bolander, Nordic Head of IFS. When data is fragmented or inaccessible, it becomes difficult to use AI in mission-critical processes. Companies that get their data in order will be significantly better positioned to scale AI.
Supply chain at the top of the Swedish AI agenda
When Swedish respondents are asked in which area AI can create the most value, supply chain optimization comes out on top, with 26 percent.
At the same time, there is cautious optimism about companies' ability to increase the pace. On a five-point scale, Swedish respondents on average rate their organization's ability to introduce AI quickly enough at 3.53, which is close to the Nordic average of 3.55.
“Swedish companies are not lacking in ambition,” Bolander continues. The next step is to connect AI with operational reality and the data found in the business’s central processes. Only then can the potential be translated into measurable results.
The Swedish picture also reflects developments in the Nordic region. 81 percent of Nordic respondents are still in the exploration or pilot stage and 50 percent cite data quality or availability as one of the biggest obstacles to scaling AI.
Supply chain optimization and predictive maintenance are identified as the areas where AI is expected to create the greatest value.
About the survey
IFS Connect 2026 – AI Pulse: Nordic Industrial Survey is based on an interactive survey conducted during IFS Connect Nordics on April 23, 2026. A total of 294 respondents from industrial operations in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland participated.
About IFS
IFS is the world's leading provider of industrial AI and software for companies that manufacture, maintain, and service our world. The company's technology enables businesses that manufacture goods, maintain complex assets, and manage service-focused processes.
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