Photo: Ola Vatn, The Royal Court
Finland's president in audience with King Haakon
On Thursday King Haakon received Finland's President Alexander Stubb at the Royal Palace. A key topic for the visit to Norway is cooperation on controlling the development of artificial intelligence.
On Thursday King Haakon received Finland's President Alexander Stubb in audience at the Royal Palace. The Guard was drawn up in the Upper Vestibule as the President arrived, and the King welcomed him with a handshake and an embrace before the two were photographed together in the Bird Room.
Artificial intelligence on the agenda
A key topic for the visit to Norway is cooperation on the development of artificial intelligence. Earlier in the day the President met Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre for talks on following up the international work for better control of AI development, as well as the situation in Ukraine and European security.
Støre and Stubb are jointly behind an international appeal to secure control over the most advanced AI models. According to the Norwegian government, 22 leaders from around the world have joined the initiative. The appeal asks AI companies to introduce open safety protocols, mandatory testing and external risk assessments, and urges UN member states to build on existing international mechanisms. It also calls for examining the possibility of an international institution that can set standards, verify that they are followed, and convene countries when capability thresholds are crossed.
A busy week for the President
Stubb comes straight from a busy week at home. On Tuesday and Wednesday he hosted King Felipe and Queen Letizia during the Spanish royal couple's state visit to Finland, which ended at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday he was in Oslo.
It is not the first time Stubb has been to the Royal Palace. In October 2024 he made a state visit to Norway, then received by King Harald, and the last part of the programme took him to Bergen together with the then Crown Prince Haakon. Now he was received by that same Haakon, as king.