Miika Mäkitalo of HappyOrNot On the Future of Artificial Intelligence

An Interview With David Leichner

Hyper-personalization: AI can create bespoke shopping experiences, from product recommendations to targeted promotions. HappyOrNot data can inform AI to understand individual preferences and deliver genuine customer delight.

As a part of our series about the future of Artificial Intelligence, I had the pleasure of interviewing Miika Mäkitalo.

Miika Mäkitalo is the CEO of HappyOrNot, the leading customer feedback solution relied upon by over 4,000 brands across 135 countries. He has accumulated more than 15 years of experience in management roles and holds a PhD in Industrial Engineering & Management. Prior to joining HappyOrNot, Miika spent over a decade working for global technology company M-Files, and another 10 years at the Government of Finland and governmental agencies.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you share with us the ‘backstory” of how you decided to pursue this career path in AI?

I studied industrial engineering management and as a student joined an exciting project in the Finnish government. Projects and tasks were so awesome that suddenly I had spent 10 years working in the Government and governmental agencies and held unit and later department head roles, making the time super interesting, and I was fortunate to have the major responsibilities and engrossing tasks like being one of the leading architects in deregulating the rail transport sector.

After that 10 years, while I enjoyed the work a lot, I started a new chapter in my career. My old friends asked me to join a company called M-Files and help them grow faster and internationally. With a fantastic team, I helped the company to grow 10 times in headcount and revenues and became one of the global leaders in that space. With all the SaaS and growth experience I gathered, I wanted to help in growing another tech company and I joined HappyOrNot.

As I started connecting the dots, I saw the incredible potential. AI could become a powerful tool to unlock the secrets of human emotion, not just on an individual and company level but on a societal scale.

We started with a simple smiley button to capture that instant gut feeling of a customer leaving a store. But it wasn’t just about collecting data. It was about making a difference. We used HappyOrNot to help companies improve customer service, optimize store layouts, and personalize communication.

Seeing how our Smiley faced buttons sparked empathy and drove positive change is what truly fueled my passion for AI, as we want to make sure all insights, revenue jump potential are served for our customers and that requires embedding more AI and ML technologies, while creating better customer experiences and more engaged employees. And thus the more I explore the possibilities of AI, the more excited I get about its potential to create a happier, more empathetic world.

What lessons can others learn from your story?

My biggest takeaway is to embrace humanness and the end-user in technology. HappyOrNot started simply — a smiley face button. The power lies in engaging UI that means connecting with people emotionally, not just collecting data. This applies to AI, too — it’s a tool to enhance and add the human experience, not replace it.

Can you tell our readers about the most interesting projects you are working on now?

Yes, I am working on several exciting initiatives at the moment. One of the projects I’m particularly enthusiastic about is bringing demographic data to our customers. Our tablet solution provides a new layer of information or context for the customers, allowing them to see more data and make better business and marketing decisions addressing the needs of their target audience. We are the first in the market with this capability and are thrilled to ensure our customers can be even more precise with their business improvement initiatives and have even better ROI for their investment.

Also, we are working with using ML and AI to provide customers with more, deeper, multi-faceted and contextualized insights. Especially retail industry, rich with data will benefit from this massively. We’ve seen customers in retail growing their topline by 4% using our data and AI driven service. I would like to talk much more about this, but since it is still cooking, I want to save the thunder for later stage. Anyhow, it’s again thinking about the users and enabling them to improve their business with the customer feedback insights we’ve collected and processed.

We’re also exploring using emotion AI in retail interactions. Imagine a virtual assistant that can read a customer’s frustration in real-time and offer personalized help. This can revolutionize customer service and boost brand loyalty.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’ve been lucky to have been surrounded by outstanding talent and superb individuals that have been driving, helpful and supportive. There are so many stories I could share from the bright colleagues I have had throughout the years. Some of the transforming figures are, like usual, some of the early career supervisors like Anne Herneoja was for me.

Nevertheless, what I want to share relates to PR and awareness, as understanding PR, brand and managing the risks is a major asset. All companies dream of massive visibility, so that customers, prospects and employees know the brand, the company and the service. For our engaging end-user interface and recognizable smileys, we’ve achieved a capital position, and 100-times bigger companies are envy of our brand recognition. But when there’s visibility, there are PR risks as well, which brings us to the story.

This started when I was on a mandatory military training exercise, deep in the wilds of Finland, in a particularly remote area, so it was not the perfect time to hear that a leading newspaper in the UK had incorrectly identified us in a less-than-flattering article. It reported that our products were at the centre of a staff morale issue within the then prime minister’s office. This was in the aftermath of the news that staff and ministers had taken part in Covid lockdown-breaking parties, a major national scandal engulfing the UK at the time. Our comms team lead by Stephanie was able to turn this crisis into a major PR win with an article and a radio appearance. Having superstar colleagues like Stef, helps me to continue learning how to run and serve a company and the targets in a better way.

What are the 5 things that most excite you about the AI industry? Why?

1. Hyper-personalization: AI can create bespoke shopping experiences, from product recommendations to targeted promotions. HappyOrNot data can inform AI to understand individual preferences and deliver genuine customer delight.
2. Frictionless shopping: Imagine walking into a store, grabbing your items, and having them automatically billed through facial recognition and emotion analysis. Also, with the data collected, the retail operator can improve how they serve customers. AI can make shopping seamless and enjoyable, and help collect data and turn those into valuable insights.
3. Empowered employees: AI can handle repetitive tasks, freeing staff to focus on building customer relationships. This improves employee satisfaction and fosters a more human connection and better service within the retail experience.
4. Sustainability insights: AI and ML can analyze data to optimize inventory, reduce waste, and track the environmental impact of products. This empowers retailers to make informed decisions and be more responsible.
5. Democratized data: AI can make valuable customer insights accessible to all levels of the retail organization, enabling data-driven decision-making and a more agile approach to business.

What are the 5 things that concern you about the AI industry? Why?

1. Job displacement: Automation is inevitable, and retail is no exception. We must focus on reskilling and upskilling employees to ensure a smooth transition as AI takes over specific tasks.
2. Bias and discrimination: AI algorithms can perpetuate existing biases if not carefully trained. Transparency and diversity in data sets are crucial to ensure fair and ethical AI implementation.
3. Privacy concerns: Customers need to be assured their data is secure and used responsibly. Clear communication and strong data protection measures are essential.
4. Loss of human touch: While AI can enhance certain aspects of customer service, it can’t replace the human element. We need to ensure AI complements, not replaces, human interaction in retail.
5. Lack of explainability: Some AI models are complex and opaque, making it difficult to understand their decision-making process. Explainable AI will be crucial to building trust and transparency in retail applications.

As you know, there is an ongoing debate between prominent scientists, (personified as a debate between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg,) about whether advanced AI poses an existential danger to humanity. What is your position about this?

I’m definitely optimistic about AI’s future. We need to strive to improve technologies AI included to deliver welfare for societies. Definitely AI will pose new set of questions and challenges for companies, organizations and countries. The legal and ethical aspects will need to be considered, and implications to labor market including things like universal basic income.

Anyhow, when there are some who feel endangered by AI and may want to slow things down, to address some of the concerns, it’s needed that there is public discourse of the topic.

What can be done to prevent such concerns from materializing? And what can be done to assure the public that there is nothing to be concerned about?

Robust safety protocols, rigorous testing, and human oversight will ensure these systems function flawlessly and never harm. But beyond technical safeguards, we need an ethical framework that maps AI’s development onto our core values of fairness, equality, and sustainability, and we need all countries to work with the same principles and goals.

Communication is where we bridge the gap between cautious curiosity and confident acceptance. Let’s demystify AI, debunk myths, and address concerns head-on. Showcasing real-world applications of AI tackling global challenges, from healthcare to climate change, will paint a picture of progress, not peril.

Finally, diverse voices, from ethicists and philosophers to everyday citizens, must be heard in shaping the future of AI. By incorporating their perspectives, we build trust and pave the way for a future where AI thrives alongside humanity, not against it.

As you know, there are not that many women in your industry. Can you advise what is needed to engage more women into the AI industry?

All organizations and learders can do their part by giving major project to women and promoting them. Also, we must showcase successful women in the field and dismantle stereotypes. Mentoring programs, targeted outreach to young girls, and highlighting the diverse applications of AI can make a significant difference.

What is your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that had relevance to your own life?

“Do or do not. There is no try.” Yoda’s words are something individuals, teams and organizaitons should keep in mind all the time. It means let’s go, let’s run fast. When people are on fire on the things they are working with, the company vision is clear, with Yoda’s guidance, the sky is not the limit.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share a story?

Since my first job as a customer service rep in a warehouse, where I loved helping customers and getting excited about working on fun tasks. I’ve been very fortunate to have had roles that are super inspiring and while working at times a lot, it has always felt wonderful.

I have a passion for leadership and company cultures, as I know that will move the mountains. My love for servant leadership and thriving company culture has been vital in helping me understand that leadership and strong culture is the tool or platform that enables employees to deliver their best and teams that are supporting others, and we have fun while conquering the world. In my leadership philosophy, I want to lift others and give as much as I can so all can grow to the full potential they have.

Besides that, I’m always happy going back to the alma mater to give lectures about growth companies, international business and leadership.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 😊

Education is the key to getting the best out of most people. It can help individuals pursue their dreams and excellence in their professions and personal lives. It has been shown that investing in education, especially for women, can lead to decreased poverty and increased welfare. With education, individuals can learn how to think critically and problem-solve, which will benefit wellbeing also at a societal level.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Your readers can find me on LinkedIn, where I regularly post about what I am up to and the latest insights I have discovered in my professional life. You can also learn more about HappyOrNot on our website.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

About The Interviewer: David Leichner is a veteran of the Israeli high-tech industry with significant experience in the areas of cyber and security, enterprise software and communications. At Cybellum, a leading provider of Product Security Lifecycle Management, David is responsible for creating and executing the marketing strategy and managing the global marketing team that forms the foundation for Cybellum’s product and market penetration. Prior to Cybellum, David was CMO at SQream and VP Sales and Marketing at endpoint protection vendor, Cynet. David is the Chairman of the Friends of Israel and Member of the Board of Trustees of the Jerusalem Technology College. He holds a BA in Information Systems Management and an MBA in International Business from the City University of New York.