The age of AI-lessness
what is left for humans? When machines think for us, do critical thinking and autonomy disappear—or can we learn to use AI to enrich our own understanding?
Speaker
Jarno Alastalo
Techno-philosopher | Author | Interpreter of technology | Builder of digital communities
Jarno Alastalo is a techno-philosopher and author of the upcoming book The Black Box, exploring the collisions between technology and humanity. He does not ask how AI works, but what it does to us: how it shapes thinking, emotions, mental health, and culture.
As a speaker, Jarno turns abstract philosophical questions into concrete ones and makes audiences pause at their own thinking: why does the world feel unfamiliar?
Speaker profile
Who is Jarno?
Jarno Alastalo is a techno-philosopher who has spent years exploring the interface where technology meets humanity. His upcoming book The Black Box (2026) examines an era he calls the age of AI-lessness—a time when we no longer understand how the systems around us work, yet still let them guide our lives.
Jarno has built digital communities for more than two decades, from Suomi24 to the Heimo service, and has seen up close how people live and behave online. Combined with a philosophical approach, this experience makes his perspective unique: he does not only theorize about technology but knows its human effects deeply.
As a speaker, Jarno Alastalo walks alongside audiences on a journey that is both personal and societal. He does not preach or scare; he helps people see familiar things with new eyes. His talks are full of stories, observations, and questions that keep simmering long after the event.
Jarno's special gift is his ability to put into words what many feel but cannot express: a sense of strangeness in a world that changes faster than we can comprehend. His talks do not leave things as they were—they change the way we think about technology, ourselves, and the future.
Talks
Topics and presentations
Algorithms as guides of emotion
who controls your mind? Social media algorithms do not just reflect our emotions; they shape them. How to preserve freedom of emotional thought amid cognitive sugar?
The future of work
machine as partner or replacement? AI promises to free us from routines, but at the same time it takes away the very routines from which our humanity has been built. What happens if work disappears before we invent a new meaning for it?
Identity in the age of data
who am I in the algorithm's eyes? Data is your digital soul. When data collected from our lives begins to define our self-image, a digital twin emerges—accurate, but alien. What happens when the machine knows you better than you know yourself?
Creativity in the machine's shadow
humanity's last core element? When AI fills the world with texts and images, the value of originality disappears. Are we heading toward a culture where creative work becomes algorithmic fast food?
Learning in the age of AI
what should we teach now? When machines learn faster than humans, the role of education and upbringing changes. What is critical AI literacy and how does it support growth?
The logic of the black box
decisions we do not understand. AI systems affect everyday life, politics, and the economy. But what happens when we no longer know the logic behind decisions?
Social media and the landscape of the mind
algorithms and mental health. Social media can feed anxiety and distort self-image, but it can also serve as a space for peer support. What does this mean for future well-being?
Digital oligarchs
who controls attention? A few tech giants steer flows of information, markets, and even our emotions. What happens to democracy and alternatives when the power of attention concentrates in the hands of algorithms and the few?
Similar speakers
Others on the same topics
Could Jarno fit your event?
Tell us the date and occasion. We will check availability and come back with the fee.