“Everything we do affects various systems,” stated the first speaker. “Systems are complex; we don’t fully understand them,” noted the second. “AI is a tool that can assist us,” concluded the third.
The TEDx Vaasa 2025 event attracted a full audience at the Wasa Innovation Center on Friday. Fourteen speakers shared ideas and presentations, which will later be compiled into YouTube videos and made accessible to all.
“You will be amazed by the ideas presented,” said Johanna Kauppinen, one of the private individuals behind the event, addressing the audience.
Together with lead organizer Laila Fe Balinggan and a dedicated team of volunteers, the non-profit event was made possible.
Can Oat Milk Save the World?
Anna Granskog, a Partner at McKinsey & Company, was the first speaker at TEDx Vaasa 2025. She explored whether oat milk could be a solution to saving our planet.
This question wasn’t meant to be taken literally; rather, her talk focused on the phenomenon surrounding oat milk — a model she refers to as “Buy to Scale.”
A few years ago, oat milk was considered a premium product and significantly more expensive than regular milk. However, as more people began purchasing oat milk, economies of scale kicked in, prices dropped, and even more consumers made the switch.
“If we consider this as an ‘oat milk’ effect, it’s a phenomenon that can change the world,” said Anna Granskog, citing electric cars as another example.
Complex Systems
The second speaker was Petri Uusikylä, Research Director at the University of Vaasa. He discussed societal problems and the complex systems behind them — or more precisely, how little we truly understand these systems.
“The world is more than the sum of its parts,” stated Petri Uusikylä.
He emphasized that we often believe we understand systems better than we actually do. To avoid causing more harm than good, it might sometimes be better to refrain from action — to first take a deep breath and try to comprehend how everything is interconnected.
“But despite not fully understanding these systems, we persist in using the same sticks and carrots over and over again,” he concluded.
Could AI enhance our understanding?
The third speaker of the day, Ulla Kruhse-Lehtonen, co-founder of DAIN Studios, discussed artificial intelligence (AI), a recurring theme among the presenters. Kruhse-Lehtonen noted that we tend to overestimate what new technology can achieve in the short term but underestimate its long-term impact.
She predicted that by 2040, our lives and workplaces will look significantly different. A key aspect of this transformation is the role of AI assistants — programs capable of handling complex tasks autonomously.
“Think of them as digital assistants,” she explained.
Kruhse-Lehtonen acknowledged that while these AI assistants will replace many existing jobs, they will also likely create new employment opportunities. She drew parallels to past technological shifts, such as the transition from horse-drawn transport to automobiles, which led to the decline of certain professions like blacksmiths but gave rise to new roles like car mechanics and traffic police.
Her advice for staying ahead of technological advancements is to be “active, courageous, and willing to learn new skills.”
Made possible by sponsors
TEDx Vaasa 2025 was supported by sponsors including the University of Vaasa, VAMK, Nordea, Multitronic, and Hotel Astor. Vaasa Insider contributed by assisting the organizers with ticket sales and securing sponsorships.
