Foresight Academy Morning Session Examined Changes in the Business Environment
The Foresight Academy’s Futures Platform morning session focused on future phenomena shaping the business environment and their implications for the economy of Southwest Finland. The aim of the event was to identify key drivers of change, assess their impact on regional businesses, and discuss the role of foresight in strategic decision-making.
The discussion was supported by this future radar map.
In her keynote presentation, Futures Platform’s Director of Foresight, Marianna Mäki-Teeri, described today’s operating environment as increasingly uncertain, complex, and difficult to predict. According to her, organizations need to prepare for multiple alternative futures and actively monitor developments beyond their own industries.
Marianna’s presentation can be found here
Topics raised during the discussion included the growing use of artificial intelligence, the development of the Intent Economy, the increasing production of content for AI systems rather than human audiences, and the emergence of more work-based competence models. Participants also examined the implications of technological development for privacy, decision-making, and future skills needs.
Opportunities and Risks Across Sectors
Participants identified the strengthening of ethical values, the circular economy, the experience economy, and age-related technologies as some of the most promising opportunities. The most significant risks were seen in various AI-related developments, digital commerce platforms, and broader technological disruptions. Discussions highlighted that the same phenomenon can simultaneously present both opportunities and threats.
The event also addressed changes in the security environment, geo-economics, the growth of the defence industry, and the opportunities created by dual-use technologies. In addition, participants discussed the advancement of the circular economy, the impact of regulation, and the need to examine future developments from a broader cross-sectoral perspective.
Internationalisation, the Nordic Region, and the Growing Importance of AI, Security, and Networks
Small-group discussions identified the adoption of artificial intelligence, the sustainability transition, internationalisation, cross-sector networking, access to skilled labour, and the growing importance of the Nordic countries as key issues for businesses. Participants also emphasised the need for companies to monitor developments beyond their own industries.
The Mentimeter summary of the group discussions can be found here
The closing discussion highlighted customers as an important source of future-oriented insights and explored the possibility that human-centred services, authenticity, and genuine experiences may gain value as AI becomes more widespread.
The key message of the event was that artificial intelligence is currently a transformative force affecting almost all industries. At the same time, the importance of security, sustainability, internationalisation, skills development, and changing customer needs continues to grow. From the perspective of Southwest Finland, the discussions underscored the importance of business renewal and foresight capabilities in an increasingly dynamic operating environment.
More information:
Esa Högblom
Senior Specialist
+358 40 776 0310
Regional Council of Southwest Finland
varsinais-suomi.fi