On February 17, 2026, we launched a new event format: AXICA im Blick (AXICA in Focus). The evening kicked off with “The AI Test” – a deliberately chosen focus that placed artificial intelligence not as technological hype, but as a social reality check.
After a brief welcome by our managing director Nathalie Dahmann-Harbecke, Sven Göth, business futurist, entrepreneur, and host of the CEO 500 podcast, opened the evening with a fast-paced keynote speech. His central thesis: Artificial intelligence is not only changing processes and business models – it is a touchstone for whether we as an economy and society are ready to actively shape the future.
Using concrete examples from business, research, and culture—from international brands such as The Walt Disney Company to the automotive industry—he showed how AI is fundamentally transforming decision-making structures, communication, and our understanding of work. In doing so, he posed crucial questions: Do we use AI for control? To increase efficiency? To intensify customer experiences? His clear message was that technology alone does not create a competitive advantage. What counts is leadership, courage, and a clear stance.
In the subsequent panel discussion, we deepened the discussion together with renowned experts from the fields of tourism, media, communication, and event management:
- Sabine Wendt, Co-Managing Director of visitBerlin
- Jeannine Koch, Chairwoman of the Board and Managing Director of medianet berlinbrandenburg
- Ina von Holly, Managing Director of WE DO communication GmbH
Together, we examined specific areas of application, current challenges, and strategic issues in dealing with AI. Among other things, we discussed the provision of suitable technical infrastructure, dealing with data quality and uncurated content, and the use and sharing of knowledge through structured data models. It became clear that the implementation of AI is less a technical task and more an organizational and cultural one.
During the networking session that followed, our guests had the opportunity to continue their discussions with Sven Göth and the panelists. In a relaxed atmosphere, new perspectives, contacts, and ideas emerged—accompanied by culinary highlights from our kitchen, which rounded off the evening.
Our customer event showed that dealing with artificial intelligence is no longer a vision of the future, but a concrete task for the present. With formats such as “AXICA im Blick,” we are positioning ourselves as a place for discourse – where innovation, responsibility, and personal exchange come together.
Photos: © AXICA / Johannes Jost
