Comparison of artificial intelligence and health data usage in healthcare public services between France and Sweden

Abstract: With the meteoric rise of artificial intelligence over the last decade, it is playing an increasingly important role in our societies. This technology can play a decisive role in the development of many sectors. However, it is also necessary to have a large volume of quality data available in order to obtain high-performance models. In the healthcare sector, useful, high-quality data is often subject to fairly high security and confidentiality standards, as it is personal data that is subject to legislation (such as the GDPR at European level). At national level, each country has its own strategy, approach and objectives for integrating artificial intelligence into public services. Here, we will be looking at two European Union countries, Sweden and France. Sweden is characterised by openness and transparency. In France, on the other hand, privacy is a very important concept. Comparing their approach to the subject can therefore yield some interesting results. To carry out this comparison, a state of the art was carried out. This state of the art was based on the reading of various documents, and was accompanied by conducting five interviews with players active within this system. The analysis showed that despite different healthcare organisational structures and approaches, Sweden and France are at similar stages and have similar safety standards. However, the major difference lies in the structure of the healthcare system, which results in different advances for the two countries, with, for example, the Swedish regions working independently and interpreting the legal grey areas individually. In reality, the legal framework remains a limiting factor for the development of this sector for both nations, despite the desire of all parties to maintain an ethical approach. Finally, the future political choices concerning artificial intelligence and its legal environment will be societal choices that correspond to the cultural values of each country. However, the AI Act (a draft European law) should harmonise the legal aspects, based on an approach to technology based on the risks it could pose to individuals.