AI at the Forefront: Reflections from Slush 2023
Slush was full of inspiring talks, brimming with insights from technology to brand building and sales organization development.
This year, artificial intelligence and sustainability played a big part in the themes. No wonder, as we’re facing a massive transformation. Here are some of the key talks we had the privilege to attend:
”AI opportunity” feat. panelists from, for example, Google, TEM, European Parliament
"Policymakers x Founders – Lifting the Veil on AI’s Gray Areas”, Sandro Gianella, Head of Europe Policy & Partnerships / OpenAI
“From AI Demos to Delivering AI Products”, Bhavin Shah, Founder & CEO / Moveworks
”Surpassing Limits of Tech with the Quantum Leap”, Juha Vartiainen, Co-founder / IQM
”Beyond Tesla – How to Build the Next Big Thing”, Marc Tarpenning, Co-founder / Tesla
“Lessons From a World Champion Turned Entrepreneur”, Nico Rosberg, Founder & CEO / Rosberg Ventures
“A Conversation with Sanna Marin”, Sanna Marin / Former PM of Finland
“Creating a Brand”, Rahul Vohra, Founder & CEO / Superhuman
Not all topics had 'AI' in their titles, but it's hard to think of many that didn't touch on it in some way. Read below about some of our takeaways from these sessions.
In light of AI’s rapid development, an innovation-first attitude is crucial – as is the need for "digitally ready" legislation that is future-proof and globally applicable. Concerns were raised about the EU falling behind the US in education and research investments, and limited access to financing.
The importance of committing to responsible AI was emphasized in many talks – as was the need for shared values among countries to facilitate collaborative innovation.
Envisioning the future of Quantum Computing and AI: Imagine a quantum-enhanced ChatGPT delving deep into the mysteries of the universe… Intriguingly, Finland stands out in this arena. Despite a shoestring budget, Finland’s long history in research and strong QC ecosystem enable competition with tech giants like Google and IBM.
And what did the F1 world champion think about sustainability? In short, sustainability equals profitability.
I also enjoyed the talk by Tesla’s Co-founder Marc Tarpenning, who expressed his admiration for the Finnish tech scene, describing it favorably as ”Silicon Valley caliber”. Always nice to hear your home country getting praise, right?
When asked about the type of business he would found at the moment, he mentioned a synthetic biology company focused on innovative food products with great taste and low emissions. Marc, like us, was extremely impressed by Slush!
We thoroughly enjoyed the great atmosphere and insights of Slush. It was impressive to see how the event continues to attract a diverse crowd and founders from all over the world. Many of the speakers and entrepreneurs are poised to be key players in shaping the world of tomorrow.
Slush has once again shown Finland’s potential to be vibrant in the future of startups and innovation. We're already looking forward to next year’s event and would love to hear your thoughts or experiences related to Slush 2023!
