Kieran Gilmurray

Kieran Gilmurray, CEO, Kieran Gilmurray & Co, is an internationally renowned AI expert and the world’s first Chief Generative and Agentic AI Officer. He is the author of three books, including Agentic AI: A Business Leader’s Guide to the Future of Work, which provides practical insights into agentic AI and the evolving digital workforce. With over 30 years of experience, Kieran has led award-winning AI and digital transformation programmes for IBM, Intel, PEGA and others, delivering significant business impact.

In the CX Masterclass, he will explain how generative and agent-based AI are shaping customer encounters, expert work and leadership. In his keynote presentation, Kieran will introduce the audience to the world of AI agents and the impact of technological disruption. You will also learn practical ways to effectively leverage AI agents, SEO, and GEO, and integrate them into the development of customer encounters.

Katja Forbes

Katja Forbes is a fearless CX innovator and award-winning leader who consistently challenges the boundaries of customer experience and AI.

Named one of Westpac/AFR’s “100 Women of Influence” and ranked among CX Network’s Top 20 CX Leaders in AI and Financial Services, she boldly transforms traditional corporate cultures into dynamic, client-centric powerhouses.

As an Executive Director at Standard Chartered Bank, Katja expertly blends human-centered design with cutting-edge technology, establishing her organisation as a global thought leader. An outspoken advocate for women in leadership, her compelling voice, sharp insights, and magnetic on-camera presence make her an industry standout.

Her upcoming book (to be published in November), Machine Customers: The Evolution Has Begun, represents her mission to position CX professionals and customer-centric leaders at the forefront of this transformation, ensuring they drive the change rather than react to it.

In her CX Masterclass keynote, Katja will talk about machine customers and explain how they represent the next frontier of CX and business growth.

Don Scheibenreif

Don Scheibenreif is Vice President, Distinguished Analyst with Gartner’s Customer Experience research group and a leading expert on customer experience and digital business. He has been with Gartner for over 14 years and previously spent over 20 years in marketing leadership roles at Coca-Cola and Quaker Oats (now PepsiCo), among others. Don drives Gartner’s research on machine customers and is the lead author of When Machines Become Customers. He is an experienced international keynote speaker who helps business and IT leaders navigate the future of CX in the age of AI and automation.

Don Scheibenreif’s keynote will show us how machine customers are revolutionising business and what organisations need to understand to keep up with the change.

Sirte Pihlaja

Sirte Pihlaja is an internationally renowned customer experience and AI expert who helps companies develop AI-enabled, customer-centric business models and AI strategies. As CEO of Shirute and head of team at CXPA Finland, she is a trailblazer in the use of Agentic AI to develop customer and employee experiences, and has published three global best-sellers as well as a groundbreaking study on machine customer experiences.

The playing field of customer experience is changing as customers increasingly become machines. Sirte Pihlaja believes that CX professionals need to renew their thinking and update their skills in the era of AI agents, as well as understand the practical implications of this change.

In their Hands-On AI Masterclass session, ”Winning in the World of GEO and AIO”, Sirte Pihlaja and Mika Berglund will show how Partu AI brings Conversational Commerce to life – helping companies create better customer experiences, serve AI agents, and gain visibility in AI-powered search and transactional environments beyond their own digital channels.

Sirte will also discuss the possibilities of talking products and AI twins, and co-facilitate a hands-on workshop where you can create your own AI twin.

Additionally, you will meet her as the chairperson for the CX Masterclass during the full length of the event.

Pia Aaltonen-Forsell

Pia Aaltonen-Forsell (M.Soc.Sc. Econ., MBA) is the Chief Financial Officer and member of the Executive Board at Finnair.

She is a strategic finance leader with a passion for transforming global businesses and creating long-term value. With a career spanning industries from manufacturing to energy and technology, Pia brings clarity and direction to complex environments. She is eager to help shape Finnair’s future with a strong focus on enhancing customer satisfaction and trust. Aaltonen-Forsell is a member of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Audit Committee of UPM-Kymmene Corporation.

She will contribute her insights to a forward-looking panel discussion on the role of AI in redefining strategy, decision-making, and the future of customer engagement.

Hanna Kivelä

Hanna Kivelä is the Managing Director of Fujitsu Finland and a member of Fujitsu’s European leadership team.

Prior to her current role, Hanna held various management positions at Google, both in Ireland and Finland.

Over the years, Hanna has worked in board and advisory roles and as a private investor in numerous companies. She promotes the digital transformation of Finnish society e.g. as a chair of the digital resilience organisation Digipooli, and ICT sector in Technology Industries of Finland.

In 2023, she was awarded with the first ever Finnish Power Woman in Tech award by Microsoft.

At CX Masterclass, Hanna will bring her perspective to a thought-provoking panel on how Finnish leaders are navigating the opportunities and obstacles of AI in transforming business and customer value.

Juhani Mykkänen

Juhani Mykkänen is an AI communicator, AI advisor, and a Helsinki-based startup tech entrepreneur. He currently helps organisations, leaders, and the public navigate the opportunities and challenges of AI through pro bono advisory work. Juhani also hosts the Juhani Mykkäsen podcast for Helsingin Sanomat, the largest news media in the Nordics.

As a co-founder of the e-commerce platform Wolt, which was acquired in Finland’s largest-ever deal for €7 billion by DoorDash in 2022, he has a strong background in the tech industry. Juhani is also the founder of WOD-liiga, Finland’s largest functional fitness competition, and actively participates in writing and public speaking.

He joins the CX Masterclass discussion panel to share insights as a startup founder and his current mission as an AI advisor, helping decision-makers understand, adopt, and navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI.

Sari Nevanlinna

Sari Nevanlinna is Chief Strategy Officer at Veikkaus.

She is an experienced service business executive with a strong background in strategy and business transformation initiatives across customer-centric domains.

Veikkaus is focused on strengthening digital capabilities to ensure competitiveness in a changing landscape. Leveraging data and AI plays a key role in this transformation.

Sari will bring her perspective to the panel discussion on how customer understanding and new companions, such as AI, support achieving strategic goals by renewing and developing capabilities.

Teemu Vidgrén

Teemu Vidgrén (M.Sc. Econ.) is the General Manager of Microsoft Finland. 

A seller at heart, Teemu is known for his ability to bring clarity, simplicity, and structure to complex topics. He began his career as a software startup entrepreneur and has since held several senior sales and business leadership positions within the ICT industry. Outside of work, Teemu enjoys life with his wife, two children, and a dog. He spends his free time pursuing photography and challenging himself as an ultra-distance athlete.

At CX Masterclass, he will join an inspiring panel exploring real-world lessons, challenges, and opportunities as AI reshapes customer experience and organisational growth.

Mika Berglund

Mika Berglund is a seasoned IT professional with nearly 30 years of experience working with Microsoft technologies, from Microsoft 365 to Azure and advanced AI solutions. His passion for computing started in the 1980s when he wrote his first program on a Commodore 64.

Mika specialises in scalable Azure AI solutions that seamlessly integrate with modern business environments. His broad industry background in construction, energy, and retail gives him valuable insight into solving real-world challenges through technology.

As CTO and Head of AI at Partu AI, he leads the design and implementation of Partu AI’s cloud-based artificial intelligence offering.

As Lead Cloud Architect at Integrata, Mika designs and implements intelligent, cloud-based systems that simplify operations, enhance decision-making, and improve efficiency – especially by automating payroll and HR related processes.

In their Hands-On AI Masterclass session, ”Winning in the World of GEO and AIO”, Sirte Pihlaja and Mika Berglund will show how Partu AI brings Conversational Commerce to life – helping companies create better customer experiences, serve AI agents, and gain visibility in AI-powered search and transactional environments beyond their own digital channels.

Mari Eklund

Mari Eklund is Vice President in B2B at DNA, a results-oriented leader who thrives at the intersection of people, processes, and AI-powered innovation.

Mari is inspired by human-centric services that leverage advanced automation and intelligence. She believes that the future of customer service is not just faster or cheaper, but smarter. To her, this translates to AI augmenting the human touch, enabling teams to anticipate needs, personalise interactions, and deliver outcomes that matter. The ultimate goal is always to empower organisations to evolve their service operations into strategic growth engines.

Mari explains in her talk how to drive human-centric service with advanced automation and AI.

Mark Hayton

Mark is a leadership expert, podcaster, and coach with over a decade of experience supporting leaders from Wolt to Nokia (with many more in between). He is an experienced People professional with deep expertise in organisational change, transformation and workforce enablement.

His perspectives are based on experience of people and leadership practices from 120 countries and cultures, and an appreciation for the Finnish way. Mark is a firm believer in robust data, meaningful facilitation, and that people don’t always think as much as they think, they think.

Juhani Honkala

Juhani Tuomas Honkala is a Finnish technology pioneer and entrepreneur, currently the CEO of Ikon AI and Executive Chairman of Return Entertainment.

He founded one of the world’s first free-to-play game studios in Seoul—an early breakthrough in global gaming—and later helped drive the rise of Angry Birds at Rovio. An expert in free-to-play and ad-driven business models, Juhani has worked with major global brands throughout his career.

Today, through Ikon AI, he is building next-generation AI systems that make intelligence accessible, practical, and transformative across industries.

In his keynote at CX Masterclas, Juhani reveals how agentic interfaces will transform both customer engagement and employee workflows.

Kimmo Ihanus

Kimmo Ihanus is the Co-Founder and CTO of Superlines, a Helsinki-based startup pioneering tools that detect growth signals in AI search and deliver accurate data for generative engine optimisation. With a long background in building AI-powered marketing tools, Kimmo was among the first marketers to fully adopt AI-driven workflows well before the rise of ChatGPT.

In his Hands-On AI Masterclass session, “AI Search Optimisation Today”, Kimmo will demonstrate how Superlines uses data to drive growth and visibility across LLM-based platforms such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overview.

Iiris Lahti

Iiris Lahti leads Customer Success and Services operations at Saidot, enabling AI scalability with governance automation. She has worked for over 15 years in leading consumer & digital analytics functions, as well as data & AI development projects and services, across different industries.

In her talk at CX Masterclass, she will discuss how to govern your AI agents.

Teemu Linna

Teemu Linna serves as the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer and Chief Information Officer at Sitra, Finland’s leading future-oriented think tank. He is responsible for artificial intelligence, development, and IT, spearheading the organisation’s transformation into an AI-native one. His work focuses on enhancing AI capabilities across business units and aligning business technology, governance, and value creation.

Teemu leads the modernisation of work processes, value streams, and core systems. He integrates AI into decision-making processes, promotes secure infrastructure and digital sovereignty. His leadership combines strategic foresight with agile execution, enabling institutions to adapt rapidly while maintaining accountability.

With nearly three decades of experience in leadership, automation, and digital service development across both the public and private sectors, Teemu brings deep expertise and a visionary approach to the fast-paced digital transformation era in which we currently live.

Valto Loikkanen

Valto Loikkanen is an internationally experienced entrepreneur who has worked in technology and innovation for more than 20 years. He is the co-founder of Prifina and serves as the company’s Chief Experience Officer, responsible for user experience and system architecture design. Valto believes in individual data ownership and solutions that combine privacy and AI capabilities.

Valto will present the possibilities of talking products and AI twins, and run a hands-on workshop where you can create your own AI twin.

Joonas Loueranta

Joonas Loueranta is the Senior Director, AI & Agentic Commerce at Nexi Group, Europe’s leading payments company. The group serves over 3 million merchants and operates multiple payment service providers across the region, including Paytrail in Finland.

Joonas brings a unique 360-degree perspective to the intersection of payments and customer-centric commerce. He is an experienced commercial leader who has driven complex platform partnership strategies at Nexi, but also possesses a deep, ”merchant-first” understanding from his hands-on experience as an e-commerce business owner. This practical-yet-visionary approach, which includes guiding national strategy as a founding board member for Digital Commerce Finland, grounds his work in creating real-world value for both businesses and their end-customers.

At the CX Masterclass, Joonas will bring his perspective on Agentic Commerce as the next frontier of customer experience.

Susanna Mäkelä

Markku Pelkonen

With over 30 years pioneering digital learning for both educational institutions and global corporations, Markku Pelkonen brings unparalleled expertise in transformation and growth resilience. His passion for literacy, life skills development, and the digitalisation of learning has shaped educational practices worldwide.

As an executive leadership coach for school leaders and a culture transformation specialist, Markku facilitates the development of a growth mindset for both leaders and individuals. His core expertise includes leadership culture development, pedagogical leadership, life skills transformation design, and educational transformation.

Markku holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Eastern Finland and founded his first digital learning company in the early 2000s.

His purpose: to grow and be brave and courageous every day.

“I want to enable others to learn the skills and mindset needed to thrive in our changing landscape. For the next 20+ years, I’m committed to supporting the mindset change required for success in the AI era.”

Miikka Rahikainen

Miikka Rahikainen has over ten years of experience in digital marketing and marketing technologies. As a consultant, he focuses on leveraging technology and artificial intelligence to drive business impact. Miikka believes that personalised customer experiences emerge from the seamless fusion of technology, data, and human insight. His unique skillset in orchestrating AI, marketing, and technology sets him apart in the industry. Miikka is passionate about delivering customer-centric solutions that generate measurable value in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

In their talk, Sirpa Toljander and Miikka Rahikainen reveal the five most common gaps in customer experience, often emerging from the rapid pace of AI development.

Sirpa Toljander

Sirpa Toljander brings over a decade of experience in marketing and customer experience development. She is currently pursuing doctoral research focused on advancing customer experience through design methodologies. Her academic foundation lies in consumer economics, marketing, and service design—disciplines she seamlessly integrates into practical development work.

Sirpa specialises in customer experience and change management, areas she is deeply passionate about. She helps organisations build and evolve measurable competitive advantage through strategic CX initiatives.

In their talk, Sirpa Toljander and Miikka Rahikainen reveal the five most common gaps in customer experience, often emerging from the rapid pace of AI development.

Espen Varrone

Espen Varrone is the Founder and CEO of Venli, a Copenhagen-based AI startup pioneering the use of AI to transform the hospitality industry. With a background spanning sales and business development roles at international companies including Salesforce, Brandwatch, impact.com, and Angi, he combines deep expertise in technology, customer experience, and growth. A graduate of Boston University’s Hospitality & Tourism Management program, Espen has lived and worked in both the United States and Europe, building a career at the intersection of hospitality and innovation.

Espen will lead the Hands-On AI Masterclass “Beyond Chatbots”, showcasing FelixOS, Venli’s AI concierge platform and how AI agents are reshaping hospitality — from solving staffing shortages to reimagining guest experience. Participants will build their own voice-based AI agent and see how intelligent agents can transform CX.

Reidar Wasenius

Reidar Wasenius is an AI researcher at the Aalto University Department of Computer Science, where he is developing memetics as the next paradigm in artificial intelligence. Since 1989, his career in the tech sector has included roles at Nokia (twice), Samsung, Telecom Finland, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), and the Finnish innovation agency Tekes (now Business Finland).

An educator, trainer, and reporter since 1984, he has helped people understand and harness new digital technologies. The current wave of AI is the fifth major technological revolution in which he is playing an active role. It follows his involvement in the popular adoption of microcomputers in the 1980s, the internet in the 1990s, mobile phones in the 2000s, and social media in the 2010s.

Reidar was the founding Programme Director of the Bachelor’s programme in Media and Communications at Arcada University of Applied Sciences. His most recent book, Personal Brainer (WSOY, 2016), co-authored with neurobiologist Tiina Huttu, reflects his interdisciplinary work on human and digital minds alike.

As his contribution to the CX Masterclass, Reidar presents the thought-provoking idea of a billion-euro business built by a single person and helps each participant understand how they might actually build such a business themselves.

Pasi Örn

Pasi Örn is AI & Automation Manager at Visma Amplio and Founder of PodStudio. Known to many as “Pörni”, he is a creative AI influencer and voice artist who helps people and organisations embrace the power of artificial intelligence. Last year, he won the Elisa AI Vision Challenge (Professional Category) for his innovative work combining creativity and technology.

With a background spanning technology, storytelling, and hands-on experimentation, he regularly speaks at events and inside organisations, inspiring teams to kickstart their AI journey with practical tools and a human-centred approach.

At CX Masterclass, Pasi will demonstrate how practical AI tools can be applied to enhance creativity, communication, and customer experience to make AI approachable, actionable, and human-centred.

Supercharge Your CX: AI Agents, SEO, GEO & AIO in Action

In this dynamic and thought-provoking session, global CX and AI strategist Kieran Gilmurray takes you on a deep dive into the next wave of customer engagement — powered by AI agents, Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), Artificial Intelligence Optimisation (AIO), and smart strategy.

This is not about theory. It’s about understanding how to drive business outcomes in a world where search, service, and decisions are increasingly shaped by machines, not just people.

Through real-world use cases and Kieran’s signature clarity, you’ll explore:

• How AI agents are already influencing customer decisions and shaping journeys
• The shift from SEO to GEO: what it means to be discoverable in AI-powered search
• What AIO means in practice and how to make your brand actionable by AI agents
• Where and how these technologies can deliver measurable value in CX

You’ll leave with a clear understanding of what to focus on, where to start, and how to lead the conversation on AI-powered transformation in your organisation, without needing to write a single line of code.

⚠️ Seats are limited. Save your spot early — this is one of the most anticipated sessions of the event!

Machines Are Customers Too: The next frontier of CX and business growth

What if your next customer isn’t human? In a world increasingly run by AI, machines are rapidly becoming independent economic actors, making buying decisions without human intervention.

In her provocative talk, ”Machines Are Customers Too,” Katja Forbes challenges businesses to radically rethink their approach to customer experience. She unveils how traditional customer journeys, trust-building, and engagement strategies must evolve to accommodate AI-driven agents and autonomous systems as genuine customers.

Leveraging her award-winning expertise in CX innovation and her role as Executive Director at Standard Chartered Bank, Katja delivers a compelling vision of the near future: one where the customer is code, and loyalty is algorithmic. This bold session isn’t just speculative. Katja provides actionable frameworks and a clear roadmap, empowering leaders to adapt, innovate, and harness this shift as a powerful engine for growth.

Prepare to rethink everything you know about your customers. The future is here…machines are buying.

⚠️ Seats are limited. This keynote is your best opportunity to gain a real understanding of the revolution unfolding in CX & Agentic AI.

When Machines Become Customers: Get Ready for This Trillion Euro Opportunity

From autonomous vehicles, to factory robots to washing machines, billions of AI-enabled machines  will have the ability to be your customers. Will you be ready?  Gartner analyst Don Scheibenreif will share insights from his book, When Machines Become Customers, and new developments driven by Generative AI and now Agentic AI. Preparing for this future requires CX leaders to rethink customer experience, adapting commerce technologies, and transforming sales and marketing strategies to engage machines effectively.

CX Masterclass Chairperson & CXPA Finland Head of Team

Sirte Pihlaja is a globally recognised AI Whisperer and AI & CX Thought Leader, pioneering Agentic AI in customer and employee experiences. As CEO of Shirute and Head of Team at CXPA Finland, she helps organisations navigate AI-driven transformation with human-centric business models and CX and AI governance frameworks. The author of three global bestsellers, Sirte explores how multi-agent AI networks and machine customers reshape business and CX/EX strategies, and has published a groundbreaking study on machine customer experiences.

The playing field of customer experience is changing as customers increasingly become machines. Sirte Pihlaja believes that CX professionals need to renew their thinking and update their skills in the era of AI agents, as well as understand the practical implications of this change.

In their Hands-On AI Masterclass session, ”Winning in the World of GEO and AIO”, Sirte Pihlaja and Mika Berglund will show how Partu AI brings Conversational Commerce to life – helping companies create better customer experiences, serve AI agents, and gain visibility in AI-powered search and transactional environments beyond their own digital channels.

Sirte will also discuss the possibilities of talking products and AI twins, and co-facilitate a hands-on workshop where you can create your own AI twin.

Additionally, you will meet her as the chairperson for the CX Masterclass during the full length of the event.

Panel Discussion: AI & CX – Finnish Leadership in Action

Panel Discussion: AI & CX – Finnish Leadership in Action

This high-level panel conversation with some of Finland’s most forward-thinking directors driving AI and customer experience will give you insights and inspiration to move forward with your organisation. Hear first-hand how leading organisations are navigating challenges, seizing opportunities, and transforming CX with intelligent tech.

What will we explore?

• The current state of AI adoption in Finnish organisations – where are we now?
• Real experiences: what successes and lessons learned are shaping best practices?
• The biggest challenges companies face in implementing AI at scale
• How machine customers & AI agents are changing expectations & engagement patterns
• What leadership & strategy look like when CX and AI must merge
• Where to focus next to unlock real business and customer value

⚠️ Seats are limited. This panel discussion is your chance to hear the answers to all the burning questions you have about AI & CX in your everyday, but didn’t dare to ask from your leadership.

Panel Discussion: AI & CX – Finnish Leadership in Action

Panel Discussion: AI & CX – Finnish Leadership in Action

This high-level panel conversation with some of Finland’s most forward-thinking directors driving AI and customer experience will give you insights and inspiration to move forward with your organisation. Hear first-hand how leading organisations are navigating challenges, seizing opportunities, and transforming CX with intelligent tech.

What will we explore?

• The current state of AI adoption in Finnish organisations – where are we now?
• Real experiences: what successes and lessons learned are shaping best practices?
• The biggest challenges companies face in implementing AI at scale
• How machine customers & AI agents are changing expectations & engagement patterns
• What leadership & strategy look like when CX and AI must merge
• Where to focus next to unlock real business and customer value

⚠️ Seats are limited. This panel discussion is your chance to hear the answers to all the burning questions you have about AI & CX in your everyday, but didn’t dare to ask from your leadership.

Panel Discussion: AI & CX – Finnish Leadership in Action

Panel Discussion: AI & CX – Finnish Leadership in Action

This high-level panel conversation with some of Finland’s most forward-thinking directors driving AI and customer experience will give you insights and inspiration to move forward with your organisation. Hear first-hand how leading organisations are navigating challenges, seizing opportunities, and transforming CX with intelligent tech.

What will we explore?

• The current state of AI adoption in Finnish organisations – where are we now?
• Real experiences: what successes and lessons learned are shaping best practices?
• The biggest challenges companies face in implementing AI at scale
• How machine customers & AI agents are changing expectations & engagement patterns
• What leadership & strategy look like when CX and AI must merge
• Where to focus next to unlock real business and customer value

⚠️ Seats are limited. This panel discussion is your chance to hear the answers to all the burning questions you have about AI & CX in your everyday, but didn’t dare to ask from your leadership.

Panel Discussion: AI & CX – Finnish Leadership in Action

Panel Discussion: AI & CX – Finnish Leadership in Action

This high-level panel conversation with some of Finland’s most forward-thinking directors driving AI and customer experience will give you insights and inspiration to move forward with your organisation. Hear first-hand how leading organisations are navigating challenges, seizing opportunities, and transforming CX with intelligent tech.

What will we explore?

• The current state of AI adoption in Finnish organisations – where are we now?
• Real experiences: what successes and lessons learned are shaping best practices?
• The biggest challenges companies face in implementing AI at scale
• How machine customers & AI agents are changing expectations & engagement patterns
• What leadership & strategy look like when CX and AI must merge
• Where to focus next to unlock real business and customer value

⚠️ Seats are limited. This panel discussion is your chance to hear the answers to all the burning questions you have about AI & CX in your everyday, but didn’t dare to ask from your leadership.

Panel Discussion: AI & CX – Finnish Leadership in Action

Panel Discussion: AI & CX – Finnish Leadership in Action

This high-level panel conversation with some of Finland’s most forward-thinking directors driving AI and customer experience will give you insights and inspiration to move forward with your organisation. Hear first-hand how leading organisations are navigating challenges, seizing opportunities, and transforming CX with intelligent tech.

What will we explore?

• The current state of AI adoption in Finnish organisations – where are we now?
• Real experiences: what successes and lessons learned are shaping best practices?
• The biggest challenges companies face in implementing AI at scale
• How machine customers & AI agents are changing expectations & engagement patterns
• What leadership & strategy look like when CX and AI must merge
• Where to focus next to unlock real business and customer value

⚠️ Seats are limited. This panel discussion is your chance to hear the answers to all the burning questions you have about AI & CX in your everyday, but didn’t dare to ask from your leadership.

Elevate your CX to the next level with AI

The future of customer service is smarter when human-centric service is augmented with advanced automation and AI. Learn how to unleash CX superpowers in customer interactions, where AI augments the human touch, enabling teams to anticipate customer needs, personalise interactions, and deliver outcomes that matter. This empowers organisations to evolve their service operations into strategic growth engines, all while aiming for happy customers.

Are Finnish leaders the antidote to chaos?

Mark Hayton will discuss Finnish leadership, the application of AI in modern people practices and how this combination can be a real driver of growth.

Transforming to an AI‑native organisation: Lessons learned from Sitra so far

Becoming AI‑native is 95% about people and only 5% about technology.

In this session, Teemu Linna will walk through Sitra’s transformation: from sprint-based execution, value streams built from scratch in the AI era, and agent teams that seamlessly move work from “idea” to “production.”

Expect candid lessons learned, adoption tactics that deliver value, and our best practices to accelerate value creation – without compromising responsibility or trust.

Agentic Commerce: The New Frontier of Customer Experience

At the CX Masterclass, Joonas Loueranta will bring his perspective on Agentic Commerce as the next frontier of customer experience.

He will explore how autonomous AI agents are set to redefine the entire customer journey, moving beyond simple interactions to create hyper-personalised, effortless experiences. He will also discuss what this strategic shift means for businesses aiming to win in this new agentic era of digital commerce.

The EU AI Act in Action: Turning Regulation into Responsible Innovation

The EU’s new AI Act will shape how every organisation designs and deploys AI. Will it be just another compliance hurdle—or your chance to lead responsibly? In this session, Susanna Mäkelä will demonstrate how companies can navigate regulations and leverage them as a driver of ethical, human-centric AI. You’ll hear practical insights on aligning AI strategies with regulation, building a culture of accountability, and enhancing both customer and employee experiences through responsible innovation.

Customer Experience Gap Analysis – Best Practices for Journey Optimisation, Personalisation, and AI-Driven Marketing Automation

CX Director Sirpa Toljander and Tech Director Miikka Rahikainen present a Customer Experience Gap Analysis built on the latest consumer behaviour research and real-world CX development experience.

In this session, they reveal the five most common gaps in customer experience—spanning customer insight, organisational culture, and data and technology capabilities. These gaps often emerge from the rapid pace of AI and technology development, evolving operating environments, and internal cultural misalignment.

They share key lessons from practical CX projects, offering organisations concrete tools to lead customer experience strategically and effectively in a fast-changing landscape. Sirpa brings a human-centred service design perspective, while Miikka focuses on infrastructure, process efficiency, and the smart use of data and AI. Together, they ensure that customer value, business profitability, and future growth opportunities are aligned and optimised.

Participants will also receive access to an AI-powered Gap Analysis tool that delivers a personalised snapshot of their organisation’s CX maturity—and pinpoints the most critical areas for development.

Customer Experience Gap Analysis – Best Practices for Journey Optimisation, Personalisation, and AI-Driven Marketing Automation

CX Director Sirpa Toljander and Tech Director Miikka Rahikainen present a Customer Experience Gap Analysis built on the latest consumer behaviour research and real-world CX development experience.

In this session, they reveal the five most common gaps in customer experience—spanning customer insight, organisational culture, and data and technology capabilities. These gaps often emerge from the rapid pace of AI and technology development, evolving operating environments, and internal cultural misalignment.

They share key lessons from practical CX projects, offering organisations concrete tools to lead customer experience strategically and effectively in a fast-changing landscape. Sirpa brings a human-centred service design perspective, while Miikka focuses on infrastructure, process efficiency, and the smart use of data and AI. Together, they ensure that customer value, business profitability, and future growth opportunities are aligned and optimised.

Participants will also receive access to an AI-powered Gap Analysis tool that delivers a personalised snapshot of their organisation’s CX maturity—and pinpoints the most critical areas for development.

AI Search Optimisation Today

How does AI search optimisation work right now, and how can it increase your visibility on LLM platforms such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, as well as Google’s AI Overview and AI Mode?

Kimmo Ihanus, Co-Founder & CTO of Superlines, has been at the forefront of AI marketing even before the release of ChatGPT. In his Hands-On AI Masterclass session, ”AI Search Optimisation Today,” you will gain practical insights into how to leverage data to increase generative search visibility.

Kimmo will also share the results of Superlines’ recent study, which examined the visibility of Finnish TE500 companies in various AI search results, and offer participants the opportunity to check the visibility of their own organisations.

🔍 If you want to understand how the logic of AI searches is changing and how you can keep up, this session is for you!

Winning with GEO and AIO - How to Be Found by AI and Loved by Customers

Winning with GEO and AIO - How to Be Found by AI and Loved by Customers

Let AI Spark Your Process - Practical Tools for Human-Centred Work

AI is no longer just a tool – it can be your co-creator. In this inspiring and practical session, AI-influencer and storyteller Pasi Örn (aka Pörni) shares how artificial intelligence can spark ideas, boost creativity, and support more meaningful human-centred work.

Based on his work at Visma Amplio and PodStudio, as well as his experience helping companies get started with AI, Pasi walks you through a range of real-life AI tools he’s used in different situations, from content creation to ideation and automation.

This session isn’t about code or theory. It’s about exploring, testing, and finding the value of AI through practical use cases and everyday experimentation.

You’ll learn:

• How experimenting with AI tools can turn small ideas into powerful results
• What kinds of tools are already available – and how they can be applied in your work
• How to start experimenting with AI in a low-threshold, high-impact way

🗣️ This session will be held in Finnish, with materials provided in English.

Design Your AI Twin – Human-Centric Intelligence in Action

What if your digital assistant truly understood you? In this Hands-On AI Masterclass, AI ecosystem architect Valto Loikkanen and CX strategist Sirte Pihlaja guide you through the creation of your own fully functional AI twin — an intelligent agent built on your unique knowledge base, values, and goals.

This session isn’t about future visions; it’s about applying cutting-edge tools to bring your personal AI into daily use today.

You’ll learn:

• How to define and structure a knowledge base for human-centric, Personal AI
• How to align your AI twin with your identity and intent
• How AI twins can elevate productivity, decision-making, and customer interactions

Leave with your own AI twin ready to support you — and a powerful understanding of how to lead in an AI-augmented world.

🔥 Be quick – this hands-on session is among the first to sell out.

Amplify Your AI Twin – Bringing Personality to Life through Avatars

What if your digital assistant could express the full spectrum of your personality and identity? In this Hands-On AI Masterclass, transformation expert Markku Pelkonen reveals how to transform your AI twin into a visual coaching companion — using avatars and video to create an authentic digital presence that embodies your values and beliefs.

This session isn’t about creating generic avatars; it’s about crafting a visual AI twin that truly represents who you are. Markku will demonstrate how he’s used Lovable and avatar videos to extend his AI twin’s storytelling capabilities for life skills and personal development coaching.

You’ll learn:

• How to use Lovable to transform your AI twin into a compelling visual format
• How to embed avatar videos and create stories with your AI twin that capture your authentic voice
• How AI twins can become go-to coaches that help others grow and develop
• How future AI twins will represent our values, beliefs, and what we stand for

Leave with clear actionable steps to start building the next evolution of your AI twin — one that visually embodies your expertise and personality.

🔥 Be quick – this hands-on session is among the first to sell out.

Beyond Chatbots: Building AI Agents That Turn Every Employee Into a CX Expert

What if every employee could instantly act with the knowledge and confidence of your most experienced team member? In this Hands-On AI Masterclass, Espen Varrone, Founder & CEO of Venli, will guide you through the process of building a fully functional AI agent designed to supercharge your frontline teams.

This isn’t about basic chatbots. It’s about creating intelligent agents that reason, act, and personalise in order to turn repetitive queries into seamless resolutions and empowering staff to deliver memorable guest and customer experiences.

You’ll learn:

• The core anatomy of an AI agent: intent, knowledge, and action
• How to build, test, and deploy an agent prototype in under 40 minutes
• How agents can transform service teams by making every interaction feel personal and expert-level

Leave with a working AI agent in your hands — and a clear vision of how to move beyond chatbots to AI that truly elevates customer experience.

🔥 Spaces are limited – this session is expected to fill fast.

How to govern your AI agents?

In this session, you will learn the best practices of governing AI agents, why it matters for customer experience and how to take action in managing AI-related risks.

From Websites to Agentic Experiences: How AI Becomes the Interface

The era of static websites and disconnected chatbots is coming to an end. Users no longer want to search and click: they expect understanding, immediacy, and meaningful interaction. In this keynote, Ikon AI’s Juhani Honkala reveals how agentic interfaces will transform both customer engagement and employee workflows.

Discover how the next generation of AI-powered experiences moves beyond simple chat into fully branded, intelligent, and reactive systems – where the AI itself becomes the interface. Learn how Ikon AI’s Agentic Reactive Architecture (ARA) enables companies to safely deploy agents that act, think, and represent their brand authentically.

This is not about adding a chatbot. It’s about redefining how people connect with your organisation: through an intelligent, living digital presence.

”For 20 years, we’ve been teaching humans how to use software. The next decade is about teaching software to understand humans safely, intelligently, and on-brand.”

How can AI enable a one-person billion-euro company?

How can an AI-native company be structured by a single human being so that it achieves a billion in revenues? What is required of such a person? What technologies are needed? For what businesses is this even possible? Throughout this workshop, participants will be challenged to consider how their own suitability and personal choices might enable them to build a billion-euro business as the only human – surrounded by artificial intelligences.