How AI is reshaping business strategies: Insights from NOVA DAY 2026
Discover how companies are leveraging AI to enhance or hinder their growth, as discussed at NOVA DAY 2026 in Oslo. Learn why trust and human-centric AI are key to future success
At NOVA DAY 2026 in Oslo last week, the conversation about artificial intelligence shifted from common fears to a more practical concern: how companies choose to use AI today will shape whether they strengthen or weaken their organizations tomorrow.
At NOVA DAY, key speaker and German futurist Gerd Leonhard highlighted a growing split in how enterprises adopt AI. On one side are companies that use AI to support and elevate their employees. On the other are companies that hand over too many decisions to algorithms, slowly losing their core knowledge and skills.
Leonhard described today’s dominant approach to AI as driven by huge American tech platforms focused on scale and cost-cutting. Many organizations are rewarded for automating large parts of their operations, often leading to reduced headcount. While this may lower costs in the short term, it creates a different kind of risk: mental atrophy (mental atrophy is the gradual decline or weakening of cognitive abilities). When key decision-making is outsourced to AI, companies weaken their ability to think, solve problems, and innovate over time.
This becomes especially dangerous in a world marked by geopolitical uncertainty. With increasing tension and unpredictable policy shifts – particularly from a more confrontational U.S. administration – organizations need resilience, adaptability, and internal alignment. According to Leonhard, the real competitive advantage is no longer computing power, but trust.
He pointed to the Norwegian concept of Tillit (trust), noting Norway’s unusually high levels of social trust (72%). In such environments, teams are more likely to adopt advanced AI tools responsibly because they share a common belief in each other’s intentions. This trust enables companies to use predictive AI for complex challenges without destabilizing their culture or their people.
This thinking supports what Leonhard called Europe’s emerging “Sovereignty‑by‑Design” model. Today, Europe depends on non‑EU providers for more than 80% of its digital infrastructure. The push for fully European‑built “Eurostack” cloud platforms is not simply regulatory – it’s strategic. It aims to give organizations access to AI that is transparent, verifiable, and guided by strong human‑centric values.
Leonhard also connected the “Sustainability Revolution” with the “Digital Revolution”, describing a new economic shift he calls “Green is the new Digital.” Nations like Norway, with strong financial resources built on decades of energy production, can set higher standards for how AI should operate. Instead of forcing humans to adapt to technology, they can ensure that technology adapts to human needs and environmental priorities.
The message from NOVA DAY was clear: the future does not belong to companies that use AI to replace human thinking. It belongs to companies that use AI as an accelerator – supporting people, strengthening trust, and staying focused on long‑term value.
