Finland's Foreign Ministry launches AI assistant for top-secret data handling

Finland’s Foreign Ministry announced the introduction of UMAI, an artificial-intelligence assistant built to handle data classified at TL IV, the top security level in the civil service. The system operates within a protected TL IV environment and will serve as a pilot for a shared secure AI infrastructure across government agencies. Officials intend to collect experience that can speed up the rollout of safe AI throughout the public sector.

The ministry stresses that the solution keeps data processing, technology choices and operational oversight firmly under official control. Minister Elina Valtonen noted that Europe must develop sufficient expertise, capacity and the ability to assess and leverage AI from its own perspective, and that UMAI embodies these objectives in Finnish administration.