What on Earth Am I Doing Here? A Humanities Scholar in the 2025 DynamicsMinds Wonderland

No, my name is not Alice. It is…

Figure 1. My DM25 speaker profile and speaker card

However, I did feel like Alice in Wonderland when I agreed to speak at the 2025 DynamicsMinds Conference (DM25) in Portorož, Slovenia, an event organized and hosted by Docentric.

Two factors mainly contributed to this feeling of estrangement. The first is the stark discrepancy between my professional background in the humanities and the BizTech environment of the DM conference. I’ve never had the chance to mingle with people from that world and, quite frankly, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to. As creatures of habit and prejudice, we humans reluctantly engage in novel social and professional situations. If we’re also a complete newbie to communities like DynamicsMinds — as I was! — socializing is likely to be twice as challenging.

The second factor that made me feel out of place was the grandiose scale of the DM conference. Coming from a tiny, insular and nonprofit community of music scholars — where gatherings rarely surpass 100 people — I was overwhelmed by the DM25 content, format and magnitude.

DynamicsMinds is indeed a spectacular event! Consider the following facts and figures about DM25:

• Impressive number of attendees and sponsors from around the world
• Artistic ambition in the industry-related and entertainment aspects of the conference program
• Breathtaking setting in the town of Portorož on Slovenia’s Adriatic coast
• Unique conference venue in the Brutalist-style building of Grand Hotel Bernardin
• Superb food and drink offerings

Figure 2. Grand Hotel Bernardin (beachside), the harbor of the nearby Piran town, and exquisite conference food*

For the aforementioned reasons, I couldn’t help but wonder:

What on earth am I doing here!?

Much to my surprise, the answer to this question was very simple:

You don’t have to be part of the DM community to enjoy the event!

You can immerse yourself in the fantastical atmosphere of the conference.

You are bound to experience exceptional social energy and moments of emotional release.

There’s a lot you can learn about, both in and out of the BizTech field.

You can savor the Mediterranean ambiance and cuisine of the conference’s host town.

You can forge lasting friendships and valuable business partnerships.

You can party.

You can explore your full human potential!

In fact, I observed significant commonalities and shared values between DynamicsMinds and the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS), with which I affiliate myself.

The 3 Cs of Shared Values between DM and HASS: Connection, Creativity and Care

The 1st C: Connection

At first glance, DynamicsMinds may seem like a meeting place for “square” (conventional, mainstream) people. Although they come from different parts of the world, conference attendees are, on average, demographically uniform (white, able-bodied, heterosexual, middle-aged and middle-class) and stylistically neutral (dressed in casual to business casual attire), with a few exceptions (“hipsters” with more extravagant sensibilities). However, it would be foolish to judge the DM people based solely on their immediate identity markers.

DM events are characterized by a permissive atmosphere, liberal attitudes, and a spirit of openness and warmth. Because of this, conference participants are approachable and easy to talk to. Once a connection is made, you begin to uncover a wealth of worldviews and colorful personalities.

Moreover, for such a large-scale event, encounters with DM attendees feel rather intimate. Despite —or precisely because of— the busy conference environment, it’s surprisingly easy to find yourself sucked into conversations with individual participants or smaller groups.

This “hunger” for connection takes various forms at DynamicsMinds. Of course, there is plenty of:

Figure 3. Expert Panel Discussion: “Building ISV Products for the Microsoft Dynamics Market”

Figure 4. The DM25 expo hall

However, DM attendees are also searching for a basic human connection that goes beyond direct self-interest. Examples include:

Figure 5. Learning a community dance at the DJ Octopus Party Magic

Figure 6. Taking a break on the terrace of Hotel Grand Bernardin

In short, DM events create a special kind of bubble through their cosmopolitan, egalitarian and community-first ethos. In this bubble, participants can embrace and live out the values that HASS also prioritize. At DM25, I witnessed active efforts to foster empathy, promote well-being, strengthen social cohesion, and encourage a greater appreciation for the diversity of human experiences in both business and personal life.

The 2nd C: Creativity

Conferences can be understood as liminal time-spaces that exist outside of daily routines and familiar environments. As such, they can provide unique opportunities for new insights and transformative experiences. However, based on informal conversations with DM25 attendees, Microsoft conferences (especially in the US) are anything but that. They are reportedly dreary, energy-sucking events where Microsoft professionals gather strictly to talk business and exchange the latest technological information.

DynamicsMinds is a whole other ball game. It is an event that uses imagination, aesthetic beauty and critical thinking to inject thrill and vision into what would otherwise be a lackluster professional gathering. In this, DM shares one more value with HASS: a genuine interest in experimentation, innovation and aesthetic appreciation.

DM25, in particular, was bursting with creativity. This was evident in the event’s overall conceptualization, specifically in its:

1. Fantasy theme
2. Fun corners
3. Entertainment
4. Core conference program.

Let me explain these four aspects of the event with the occasional help of photos.

1. The Magical World of DynamicsMinds

The DM conference draws inspiration from the fantasy themes of Tim Burton’s films. It creates an alternative universe of witches and wizards, where DM attendees are invited to dive in and explore their multiple selves in a playful, theatrical way.

For instance, take a look at:

• The imaginary identities of conference participants:

Figure 7. Screenshots from the official list of DM25 speakers

• The decorations and merchandise at the DM conference venue

Figure 8. Inspirational, witty wall art & signs; directional signs; conference bags at the registration desk; conference T-shirts at the Wizard Shop

• The entertainment and community aspects of the DM conference program

Figure 9. Sunday Party with Burtonesque black-and-white stripes, spirals, costumes and makeup; and Octopus-themed Monday Party

2. Fun is Another Name for DynamicsMinds

DM organizers do take fun and play very seriously! They make sure these elements are woven into the fabric of the entire conference.

At DM25, for instance, many of the sponsor booths in the expo hall offered games, such as rubber duck fishing, basketball shooting, or competitions with oddly shaped wind-up toys. Gaming elements were also available throughout the conference. Specifically, DM participants were invited to collect “magic coins” by attending sessions and visiting sponsor booths. They could then exchange these coins for “awesome DynamicsMinds prizes” at the venue’s Wizard Shop.

Furthermore, DM25 featured designated “playgrounds” for adults, consisting of 3D flower- and forest-inspired photo booths with matching costumes and props. Organizers also set up fun activities, such as learning a community dance in front of the Octopus Stage on the beach, or celebrating the 50th birthdays of Microsoft and DM participants born in 1975 in front of the collectively colored DM poster wall.

Figure 10. Taking photos in two fun booths; competing with wind-up toys at the Dynamics User Group Adriatic; coloring the Microsoft DM poster wall; and celebrating the 50th birthday with cake and a female “AI Agent” in front of it.

3. Elaborate Entertainment Program

DM events reach the next level of fun when the organizers throw live music parties and bring in MCs.

DM25, for example, featured the following entertainment program:

Including: Award Ceremony that honored outstanding members of the DM community.

Figure 11. Award Ceremony MCs on the flower-inspired concert stage and Jukka Niiranen receiving a community award from the Happy Community Fairy

4. The core program of DynamicsMinds

The main DM program is grounded in a robust creative vision and a bold approach to thorny issues in industries supported by big tech. Two elements of the DM program’s structure demonstrate this commitment:

• The keynote session
• The 5th Track panels and presentations.

Keynote at DM25

The main hall was decorated to resemble a(n Amazon) warehouse, complete with yellow-and-black striped wallpaper, carton boxes and warning signs. A woman wearing a costume of a (non-human) Microsoft Agent hosted the keynote program. She was entrusted with the task of optimizing the work of warehouse (human) employees, who were played by dancers in yellow work uniforms.

Figure 12. Warehouse-style décor at the main conference hall entrance and the stage with a carton wall displaying surveillance warnings and productivity-boosting messages

Thus, the program on stage alternated between four main actors:

• The Mistress of Ceremonies — MS Agent — whose role was to occasionally play the keyboards and coordinate stage and audience activities together with the keynote moderators
• Two Keynote Moderators — Dona Sarkar and Chris Huntingford
• Several keynote speakers — highly ranked members of the MS Dynamics 365 community — who took the stage one after another to deliver breaking news from the Microsoft world
• Several modern dance numbers in the form of duets, solos and full-group performances that were accompanied by a beatboxer and prerecorded music.

Figure 13. Warehouse workers’ duet and group dances; MS Agent’s address to the audience from the screen; Swamy Narayan’s keynote speech; the keynote moderators inviting the audience to donate to the upgraded version of the warehouse AI software

The keynote show addressed surveillance capitalism and the dehumanization of workers, who are increasingly treated as data to be processed for optimization purposes. The show’s underlying premise was that, in a society governed by algorithms and the quest for profit, humans are expendable and will eventually be replaced by AI machines.

To highlight the volatility and brutality of the labor market and surveillance capitalism, the keynote program furthermore introduced interactive elements reminiscent of a Big Brother show. Conference participants were invited to vote on significant issues affecting warehouse workers, such as whether to keep or dismiss an employee or allow romantic relationships in the workplace.

Figure 14. AI Agent calling on the audience to vote on the future prospects of warehouse workers

5th Track

The DM conference is additionally unique in its approach to session structure. The most intriguing session is called “5th Track”, a play on the historical concept of “fifth column”, which refers to a group of people who seek to challenge the dominant structure or regime of truth from within.

In the DM context, the 5th Track program consists of panels and presentations on broader economic, political and societal issues surrounding tech businesses. At DM25, for instance, I participated in a 5th Track panel titled “Don’t Worry, Be Productive!” alongside Dona Sarkar and Lazar Džamić. The panel aimed to interrogate the prevailing mantra of productivity and growth associated with the proliferation of AI technologies. Some of the questions the panelists discussed were:

• How have work(place), workaholism and materialism become accepted norms and sources of purpose, worth and dignity in late-stage capitalist societies? (The Ideology of Productivity)
• Are people really more productive using AI? How does AI-boosted productivity relate to people’s creativity and the quality of their work and play time? (Myths of AI-Boosted Productivity)
• What are the ultimate goals of productivity? And what are the costs associated with them, such as socially and ecologically useless forms of production, unequal wealth distribution, compromised quality of life, mental health issues, and diminished human capabilities, motivation and agency? (Ultimate Ends and Hidden Costs of Productivity)

In their closing remarks, the panelists put forward some alternatives to the dominant models of thinking about AI-supported work and social organization.

Other topics covered in the DM25 5th Track program included diversity, equity and inclusion in leadership; ethical marketing; mental health; sustainability; and the future of work in the era of AI.

In short, the highly creative approach to the DM production signals a serious attempt to build bridges with the arts and humanities. The significant number of creative workers, sociologists and humanities scholars at DM25 speaks volumes about the organizers’ admirable efforts to establish new avenues for dialogue between BizTech and HASS.

Which brings me to the third – and last – value that both DM and HASS apparently share:

The 3rd C: Care

In the context of DynamicsMinds, I understand “care” to mean two things:

1. Prioritizing the well-being of DM participants
2. Emphasizing the significance of ethics.

Figure 15. The DM Happy Community Fairy

In addition, DynamicsMinds is concerned with many ethical issues. These include:

• Practical matters on the conference grounds, such as the ecologically-minded use of recyclable materials and locally-sourced refreshments
• Thought-provoking topics in the Keynote and 5th Track programs, such as rising social inequalities, the future of work and the future of humanity.

Broadly understood, “care” is thus an umbrella term for the progressive ideas and values that DM stands for, including cosmopolitanism, openness, diversity, inclusivity, equity, sustainability and well-being. These values are also associated with HASS.

Why Is Bridging the Gap Between BizTech and HASS Worth Pursuing?

For me, attending DM25 wasn’t just about getting a taste of something totally new and having a blast. It was so much more. It made me realize that the BizTech and HASS communities could learn a great deal from each other.

Based on my experience as a DM25 speaker, I believe my HASS colleagues, especially those in academia, should model their own gatherings after the DM conference. In particular, I admire DM’s commitment to engaging and playful exchanges, which are the hallmarks of their events. Academic conferences, by contrast, tend to be a drag because they rarely challenge the norm of reading 20-minute academic papers. I’m convinced that experimenting with the standard conference format and insisting on storytelling in presentations and panel discussions would make HASS academic events much more enjoyable and intellectually stimulating. In short, people in my field could learn from the DM community how to communicate more effectively.

Another consideration for my HASS peers should be the DM content itself: discussions about businesses powered by Microsoft technologies. I find it problematic, to say the least, that the left-leaning world of HASS and its anti-capitalist discourse has little interest in BizTech. This is especially curious given how closely the cultural industry, the object of their interest, is tied to big tech.

I firmly believe that my colleagues could form more informed opinions about the corporate world if they learned about it firsthand via DynamicsMinds, for example. Only then would their Marxist critique carry more weight, as it would be based on empirical experience and an insider’s perspective. Of course, I would rather see my colleagues enter into a constructive dialogue with the corporate world than simply criticize it within their closed circles. After all, criticism that doesn’t consider alternatives, create possibilities for cross-sector negotiations, or generate innovative, systemic solutions has limited impact.

On the other hand, people who attend DM events do so to network and share knowledge, experiences and updates about business technology. Hopefully, they’ve already recognized the value that HASS skills and expertise bring to the table (see the Creativity section above).

First, ethics will become indispensable in the AI era of increasingly automated work. It will be, for example, necessary to discuss difficult ethical dilemmas regarding AI’s decision-making process, such as choosing between two or more lesser evils (e.g., deciding whose life to spare in a traffic accident involving an automated vehicle), or instances of AI disobeying humans with ill intentions towards society (e.g., determining what constitutes ill intention towards others)**.

Second, the Humanities and Social Sciences excel at raising fundamental questions about meaning, power relations, injustices, inequity and future visions. Art and creative approaches, on the other hand, offer an immersive, sensory and emotional way to experience and reflect on social realities. At DM events, artistic interventions provide BizTech professionals with opportunities for individual and collective exploration, transformation and emancipation. Through the aesthetic and cathartic power of artistic expression at these events, the DM participants can fulfill their human desires for justice, meaning, higher purpose, beauty and utopian vision. For in the end, what is our eternal pursuit of beauty if not a way to imagine and strive for a better world and a better life?

Finally, in order for cooperation between the DM BizTech and HASS communities to occur, each group should cultivate an inquisitive mindset and meet the following preconditions:

• Keep your mind open to knowledge and perspectives outside your immediate frame of reference
• Learn how to communicate your specialist knowledge in an accessible way
• Engage in conversations with one another to find common ground, such as shared values of connection, creativity and care.

A way forward

As we have seen, DynamicsMinds has successfully incorporated HASS expertise and elements into its BizTech program. It has also brought the two ecosystems closer together through at least three shared values: connection, creativity and care. In addition to its current hot debate topics, fun corners and artistic touches, the DM event could expand its partnership with HASS further. Here are some ideas:

a. Panels and presentations on BizTech ethics, political economy and meaning-making

A change for the better cannot take place unless DM participants don’t ask themselves more meaningful questions about the purpose of their work and the goods and services they provide. Thus, I feel the DM program would greatly benefit from panels and presentations guided by the “why?” questions. This could include questions such as: Where does BizTech fit in the current economic world system? What is the driving force behind its production activity? Whose interests does it serve? What ultimately does it want to achieve, and at what cost?

b. More mixed and experimental program

While the DM program is already innovative, there’s still room for further experimentation. Some proposals to consider are:

• “HASS Challenge”: Panels in which an HASS moderator challenges BizTech experts to articulate their business operations and vision in terms of different humanist values.
• “HASS Dummy”: A series of interviews in which an HASS person asks someone from the DM community about different aspects of their work in order to understand its functionality, purpose and wider social implications.
• “Fix Me”: Interactive and experimental workshops in which a few participants are randomly selected and encouraged, through theater techniques, to share their BizTech experiences, concerns and ideas. With the help of BizTech experts and other workshop participants, the selected individuals receive an ad hoc solution to a specific challenge in their line of work.

c. HASS booth in the DM expo hall

At DynamicsMinds, I’d love to see a booth that aims to raise awareness and incite DM participants to engage with socially, politically and ethically relevant issues associated with big tech — from climate justice to Microsoft’s implicit involvement in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza — once again through art and play.

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*The image of the Piran town harbor in Figure 2 was made by Rolf Dietrich Brecher (“Piran,” September 2022) and downloaded from Wikimedia Commons in July 2025.

**In his books and public talks, historian Yuval N. Harari discusses the importance of ethics and the humanities at length. See, for example, Yuval N. Harari, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (Jonathan Cape, 2018), or “Yuval Noah Harari Argues That AI Has Hacked the Operating System of Human Civilization” (The Economist, April 28, 2023).