Pia Lauritzen Keynote Speaker

• Can machines think?

Many have heard of the Turing test, but what did Alan Turing think about the difference between humans and machines? Why did he never answer his own question, "Can machines think?" And why did he talk about a "question and answer method" but focused solely on the machine's ability to answer questions? Can machines not be designed to ask questions? And if they can, do they ask questions for the same reasons and in the same way as humans? We take a closer look at the assumptions that were built into AI from the very beginning and ask what it means for us today?

• Homo Interrogans: How we became ?-animals

Who asked the world's first question? And what does it mean for us today? In this talk we explore questioning as the essential characteristic that distinguishes human beings from animals, gods and machines. Basic human phenomena like surprise and doubt, ignorance and curiosity—which all articulate a questioning mode of dealing with the world—may well be the reason why human beings developed language. Yet the diverse ways that people living in different language cultures understand and use questions reflect and reinforce crucial cultural differences. Learn how questions shape our thinking and behavior – from Adam and Eve to today.

• What you don’t know about questions

When we humans ask questions, we automatically connect with each other and the world we share. The good news is that we all know how to ask questions. The bad news is that the tools leaders use to understand and develop our companies and communities systematically prevent large groups of people from asking questions. Combining philosophical research with a dataset of more than 30,000 questions asked by people from across the globe, this talk sets out to democratize the power of questions.

• The art of leading in the AI age

When AI is said to improve everything from productivity to brand loyalty, it is tempting to assume that it can improve leadership, too. So, is AI going to make for better leaders? In this talk we look at how technology has shaped leaders throughout history. Inspired by German philosopher Martin Heidegger, we explore the connection between the artificial and art and ask what kind of skills we look for when we decide whether to follow someone. Arguing that the role of leadership is not to make our lives easier but to remind us of the beauty of using ourselves and our limited time and resources in a meaningful way, we explore 'the art of leading' in three different eras of technology.