Johannes Mäkinen thrives on the cutting-edge of applied AI

Meet Johannes Mäkinen, AI Solution Architect and the AI Guild Lead at Norrin’s internal Center of Excellence. Johannes’s job is to translate client challenges into applied AI solutions by bringing together the right people and technologies.

”In essence, my job is to solve our clients’ problems while ensuring we have the capabilities to do so continuously”, says Johannes.

Johannes works as a Staff AI Solution Architect at Norrin. In his client-facing role, he leads applied AI presales, designs solution architectures, and oversees technical delivery.

“It sounds like a lot, but it’s been my choice. My strengths are in connecting client challenges with the right technology and the right people, which leads to a role with diverse responsibilities.”

Prior to joining Norrin, Johannes worked as an in-house data scientist in the healthcare industry. What originally drove him to consulting was a desire to work in a more technical capacity. But he soon realized that working on solving clients’ challenges was what truly inspired him.

“I quickly understood that working with clients is the part I enjoy the most, and also that seeing a project evolve from an idea to a production-ready, practical solution can be very satisfying”, Johannes says.  

Leading internal initiatives on the cutting-edge of applied AI

In addition to his client work, Johannes serves as the AI Guild Lead in Norrin’s internal Center of Excellence. For him, the best part of his job is driving the cutting edge of applied AI, and the AI Guild exists to ensure the edge stays sharp.  

“Seeing organizations rely on AI solutions we’ve built really drives home the significance of what we do. But it’s a competitive market in a rapidly evolving field of technology, so we have to keep moving.”

As the AI Guild Lead, Johannes leads the development of Norrin’s AI own solutions, coordinates cross-departmental cooperation and communication in AI matters, and collaborates with HR on talent acquisition and development.  

“It started as a way to share knowledge and harmonize our AI vision across units. But due to the technology’s rapid evolution and changing client needs, the AI Guild has evolved into collaborative community that fuels our business development”, Johannes says.

In his role at the AI Guild, he also helps manage Norrin’s relationships with universities and student organizations, a part of the job he finds particularly important.

“It hasn’t been that long, that I was a student myself, and I know how much the contact between students and businesses matters. But also, no one is better informed about what is happening in frontier technologies than enthusiastic students, so it is by no means a one-way street. We benefit from their knowledge and ideas as well.”

The importance of finding meaning in his work and proper recovery

For Johannes, the key to staying motivated is finding meaning in his work. What is it about his role at Norrin that provides this sense of purpose?  

“I guess it boils down to the sense of accomplishment I get from problem solving and the ability to try and help my coworkers, students and new recruits succeed in their careers.”

With a multitude of responsibilities and varied roles, Johannes emphasizes the importance of proper recovery. Like many others in office jobs, Johannes, too, finds physical activity and exercise to be a great way to unwind and clear the head after a long day.  

But even while cycling or working out at the gym, he often finds himself in the company of colleagues from Norrin.

“I really feel that the community we have is quite unique, and I have developed close friendships with many of my coworkers.”