Gernot Blümel combines profound philosophical thinking with practical political experience and a spirit of technological innovation. As Austria’s former Minister of Finance and Minister for Europe, he knows the challenges of global developments as well as the opportunities of technological transformation. Today, he is dedicated to building a research park for artificial intelligence in digital medicine and contributes his in-depth expertise to the discourse on the future of our society.
Gernot Blümel in an interview
1. What are the core subjects of your keynote speeches?
As the Minister of Finance during the corona crisis, there is naturally much to report that has strong relevance to the present, especially when it comes to crisis management. As the Minister for Europe and the chair of the EU Council, it was primarily Brexit and the future development of the Union that concerned me. As Austria’s Minister of Culture, it was always a pleasure to be responsible for this area.
Above all: Since I am working now on designing and building a research park for AI and digital medicine at the Lido in Venice, the topic of artificial intelligence in its entirety has captured my imagination. As a graduate of philosophy, it is fascinating to observe how many topics and fundamental questions of western intellectual history since ancient Greek are being reexamined in light of the birth of AI. As a former top politician, I am acutely aware of the global dimension of this development. As the head of a research park for AI in digital medicine, the challenges in ethics, data, and regulations are alone enough to occupy my days and keep me engaged.
2. Which audiance or which branch do you reach with your speech?
It is primarily people who are interested in the broader impact of AI on our society that I currently reach with my topics. And this group is constantly growing, as more and more people become aware of the wide societal changes brought about by AI, as well as the geopolitical implications for our continent Europe and our prosperity. This happens both at conferences in the German-speaking area, internationally, and of course in the course of my activities as the manager of the MRAE Technopark.
My goal in speeches is always that people feel they have learned something or at least take away some interesting suggestions and new thoughts. As a former top politician, there is a wide range of topics that I enjoy talking about and offering added value to the audience.
3. Are you a PREMIUM SPEAKER? Where do you get your insights from?
In my approach to speeches, I always try to make complex developments of our time tangible with analytical depth, political experience, and philosophical perspective. In a world fundamentally changed by disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence, I offer orientation – through in-depth knowledge, practical experience, and a broad perspective.
My expertise comes primarily from three sources:
First, from my academic training in philosophy and economics, which has given me a deep understanding of ethical, epistemological, and economic contexts.
Second, from my political career – including serving as Austria’s Minister of Finance, Minister for Europe, and Chair of the EU Council. In these roles, I have experienced firsthand how political decision-making processes work, how global developments affect our lives – and what role Europe plays in the world.
And third, from my current role as managing director of an international research park for artificial intelligence in digital medicine. Here, I experience daily how innovation is created, what opportunities and risks are associated with AI technologies – and how challenging but also fascinating it is to reconcile ethical, technical, and regulatory issues.
The combination of philosophy, politics, and practice is what I enjoy and what should benefit the audience.
4. What will be in the future? Does «time» play an important role in your work?
I take this question as an opportunity to relate the three terms “future”, “time” and “continuity” in a mutual relationship:
Even though it sounds cliché, the future is indeed what we make of it; the problem with time is that it seems to slip through our fingers, especially because technical innovation in our lifetime is occurring at a much faster rate than previous generations have ever experienced. This often leads to a sense of disorientation. The only way not to lose one’s head in this situation is by seeking constancy, which has disappeared from our world, within ourselves.
5. Tell us your life motto? What do you want to give your listeners to take with them?
I always thought: I don’t have something like that; but repeatedly in difficult times, for example as Finance Minister during the Corona pandemic, I remembered a prayer from my school days which has a very relevant fundamental message:
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”
The “wisdom” mentioned in it does not come by itself, but must be acquired through knowledge and experience. I always try to shape my speeches so that the listeners can take away something useful or interesting from them and thus perhaps contribute to this “wisdom.”