Speaker
Futurist | Inventor | Non-fiction author
Perttu Pölönen is a futurist, inventor, and non-fiction author known for his views on the future of work, technology, and education. At the age of 15 he developed the Music Bell and won Europe's largest youth science competition. Pölönen has studied at the Sibelius Academy and Singularity University at NASA's research center and founded a non-profit education company in Myanmar.
Speaker profile
Perttu Pölönen is a futurist, inventor, and non-fiction author known for insightful views on the future of work, technology, and education. At the age of 15 he developed the Music Bell, a patented innovation with which he won Europe's largest youth science competition.
He has studied composition at the Sibelius Academy, completed a futures course at Singularity University at NASA's research center, and founded a non-profit education company in Myanmar. Pölönen was named Finland's most creative person at Slush (2014), one of Europe's most promising innovators under 35 by MIT Tech Review (2018), and awarded the Mensa prize (2021).
Pölönen has written three books, the latest of which, May I Have Your Attention?, was shortlisted for the 2024 Finlandia Prize in non-fiction. As an experienced speaker he emphasizes the importance of humanity, creativity, and interdisciplinary thinking as technology evolves.
Talks
AI is changing work, education, and our entire society—but what role should it be given? Has technology made us better people or steered us in the wrong direction? This talk explores how AI should support, not erode, our capabilities.
Succeeding in the future requires curiosity, creativity, compassion, and adaptability. But how can we develop them in ourselves? The talk is based on Pölönen's book Future Skills, translated into many languages worldwide.
What matters most today is not what you already know but how quickly you learn. Stagnation at work can be a greater risk than beginner's mistakes. How to maintain a beginner's mind and stay at the core of learning throughout life?
Job descriptions are blurring, career paths are diversifying, and new generations are changing working life. Expertise is no longer permanent but in constant motion. What will work be like in the future and how can you succeed in it?
Why does change often feel difficult? Fear, established habits, and lack of imagination can block renewal. How to get past these obstacles and dare to try something new?
True responsibility is not just a trend but a necessity. We are moving from ownership to an economy of meaning where actions endure over time. How could we live so that our grandparents would be proud and our grandchildren grateful?
Upheavals often come unexpectedly and change the world faster than we can imagine. How to recognize the next big shift—and how to leverage it before it overturns everything?
When the digital world offers limitless encounters, humanity may be more valuable than ever. How to preserve human connection in a world where everything can be handled remotely? What is there in people that machines cannot replace?
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