Sami Makelainen brings to IFTF expertise in strategic foresight and the ethical operational integration of emerging technologies. His journey in the tech world started with the development of online commerce and banking platforms in the early 1990’s, progressing through significant roles in mobile industry at Nokia and leading the Strategic Foresight practice at Telstra Corporation in Australia.
At IFTF, Sami is involved in a number of research projects, an instructor of Foresight Essentials, and co-creator and instructor of the Three Horizons of AI course.
Holding an MSc in Computer Science, Sami's broader engagements include his role as a Senior Industry Fellow at RMIT FORWARD, and involvement at University of Melbourne’s Centre for AI and Digital Ethics (CAIDE). Through running his consultancy Transition Level, Sami continues to influence the field of AI governance, helping organizations worldwide navigate the evolving tech landscape with foresight and responsibility, and guiding organizations to implement Generative AI without accidentally creating a SciFi dystopia in the process.
Sami is an extreme learner and an avid reader, with interests ranging from aviation to resilience engineering. His current personal research project is on the theme of 'managing collapse' – a study into the resilience, adaptability and massive change of systems in the face of potential societal, economic, or technological upheavals.
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