It was an exciting experience—walking through a manufacturing plant with an executive, as a pianist.

He remarked that technology is currently evolving rapidly due to the use of AI, and immediately asked me: “What role do technical skills actually play in the career of a concert pianist?”

The answer was simple: I have been working on my technique every single day since I was five years old. Touch, precision, movement patterns, sound control—professional piano playing is impossible without technical excellence.

Then I said something that surprised him. About half of my daily work is dedicated to technique. I spend the other half honing a skill that is rarely discussed outside the art world: the power of artistic interpretation—the ability to shape and craft a performance. He wanted to know exactly what I meant by that.

If I play a piece with mere technical perfection, it remains inconsequential. It lacks a soul. My task is to imbue every work with meaning—to ensure it speaks to people, moves them, and inspires them. This interpretive power thrives on my vision. I strive to create something unique—something “larger than life” that isn’t just incrementally different but represents something truly new. That vision drives me.

I experiment a great deal, take risks, and possess the resilience to keep going after a setback. Dealing with uncertainty is second nature to me. I consciously incorporate influences from my surroundings into my interpretation and have the agility to respond to unexpected developments.

All of this is part of that interpretive power. The art lies in harmonizing it with my technical skills. That is where the “artist mindset” finds its expression.

I asked my conversation partner what the situation was like at his company. He told me that, at the moment, almost all efforts were focused on technical optimization through AI.

That gave me food for thought. If I, as a pianist, were to focus exclusively on technical perfection, I would be replaceable. Merely playing works with technical perfection is far from enough.

He agreed with me, noting that in the future, AI will provide many companies with the same tools. Technical excellence alone will become less of a distinguishing factor. The real difference will lie in creating something unique. As with the “Artist Mindset,” this can only be achieved through new ideas, visions, and the courage to experiment—at the intersection of passion and creativity.

At the end of our conversation, the executive made two remarks that stayed with me: “We possess an incredible capacity to shape things within the company—we need to unleash that potential more fully in the future. That requires fresh impulses.” That was the genesis of the “Artist Mindset.”