Engineer Exchange Learning Event Attended by 140 People. MIT's Ishii and Others Take the Stage, Creating Opportunities to Draw 'My Vision' - 'Engineer Link' 10th Anniversary Event Report
To commemorate its 10th anniversary, the engineer community 'Engineer Link' held a special event featuring MIT's Hiroshi Ishii and others, attended by 140 engineers to discuss visions for the AI era.
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- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 22:00
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The engineer exchange learning community 'Engineer Link' held a special event commemorating its 10th anniversary, 'Experience the World's Top Level and Create Your Vision with Peers,' on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
On the day, 140 engineers, mainly from manufacturing and IT companies, participated. Under the theme 'Engineers' Vision Power and Peer Power to Change Society in the AI Era Where the Nature of Knowledge Shifts,' it became an opportunity for participants to re-examine the worldview ('My Vision') they want to create.
For the keynote speech, Hiroshi Ishii, Deputy Director of the MIT Media Lab, took the stage. The importance of raising one's perspective and three abilities for creating the future were presented. Participants voiced that their framework of thinking had changed significantly, with comments such as, 'I felt that I shouldn't put a label on myself and fixate my possibilities or perspectives.' In the subsequent breakout sessions, participants divided into four groups. Through dialogue with guests active on the front lines and other participants, it became a place to encounter diverse perspectives and values. In a survey of 108 participants, 81.5% answered 'Very satisfied' and 18.5% answered 'Satisfied,' resulting in high overall evaluation.
Moving forward, 'Engineer Link' will continue to hold networking events for engineers based on the desire to be 'a community where technology x human power generates "I didn't see that coming!", physically crossing boundaries to exchange ideas, and nurturing personal ideas and challenges.'
Speakers
Session 1. Keynote Speech
'AI Tectonic Shift and the Redefinition of Creativity ~How to Work Utilizing Human Strengths~'
Hiroshi Ishii, Deputy Director, MIT Media Lab
Session 2. 4 Breakout Sessions Chosen by Personal Interest and Dialogue
Kento Hatase, Representative Director & CEO, MEMORY LAB Inc. / Forbes 30 UNDER 30 Asia & Japan
Masahiko Sato, Chief Strategist, Technology Strategy Office, R&D Group, Hitachi, Ltd.
Takashi Uchiyama, Former JAXA 'Kounotori' Spacecraft Flight Director / Astronaut Challenge Evangelist
Tetsuro Fujinuki, Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer & CTO, SUBARU Corporation
■ Scenes from the Event
Session 1. Keynote Speech 'AI Tectonic Shift and the Redefinition of Creativity ~How to Work Utilizing Human Strengths~'
Hiroshi Ishii, Deputy Director, MIT Media Lab
He presented the importance of raising one's perspective by viewing things from a grand scope and timeline of the universe and the world, as well as three abilities for creating the future.
During the lecture, he emphasized that imagination and sensitivity that transcend common sense will be the driving force to create the future. He explained from the perspective that 'ambition/vision' and 'beauty' will reach the future of the year 2200, beyond the end of one's life, and will be passed on to the next generation.
[Three Abilities to Create the Future]
- 'Protruding nail ability': The ability to expose oneself and stand out
- 'Pathfinding ability': The ability to challenge and create a path no one has walked before
- 'Mountain-building ability': The ability to build a new mountain
Session 2. 4 Breakout Sessions Chosen by Personal Interest and Dialogue
Participants chose a breakout session based on their own interests, concerns, and awareness of issues, dividing into 4 spaces to hold dialogue sessions between guest speakers active on the front lines of different fields and the participants. Participants faced their own interests and beliefs once again, encountered diverse perspectives and values unobtainable in their workplaces, and enjoyed an uplifting experience of thinking that freely expanded their ideas.
[Theme] Connecting the World's 'Knowledge' to Generate the Next Innovation ~Structuring Distributed Knowledge and Turning it into Value~
Kento Hatase, Representative Director & CEO, MEMORY LAB Inc. / Forbes 30 UNDER 30 Asia & Japan
Under the theme 'Connecting the World's "Knowledge" to Generate the Next Innovation,' he spoke about the background leading from his experience of setback to brain research, and the potential of technology to solve social issues. Many participants were moved by Mr. Hatase's belief that what moves the world is not a massive system, but the 'passion of a single individual.'
[Theme] Hitachi's Open Innovation Activities and Case Studies of Utilizing an Employee Community Continuing for 20 Years
Masahiko Sato, Chief Strategist, Technology Strategy Office, R&D Group, Hitachi, Ltd.
Under the theme of 'Hitachi's Open Innovation Activities and Employee Community', ... (Text truncated in source)
On the day, 140 engineers, mainly from manufacturing and IT companies, participated. Under the theme 'Engineers' Vision Power and Peer Power to Change Society in the AI Era Where the Nature of Knowledge Shifts,' it became an opportunity for participants to re-examine the worldview ('My Vision') they want to create.
For the keynote speech, Hiroshi Ishii, Deputy Director of the MIT Media Lab, took the stage. The importance of raising one's perspective and three abilities for creating the future were presented. Participants voiced that their framework of thinking had changed significantly, with comments such as, 'I felt that I shouldn't put a label on myself and fixate my possibilities or perspectives.' In the subsequent breakout sessions, participants divided into four groups. Through dialogue with guests active on the front lines and other participants, it became a place to encounter diverse perspectives and values. In a survey of 108 participants, 81.5% answered 'Very satisfied' and 18.5% answered 'Satisfied,' resulting in high overall evaluation.
Moving forward, 'Engineer Link' will continue to hold networking events for engineers based on the desire to be 'a community where technology x human power generates "I didn't see that coming!", physically crossing boundaries to exchange ideas, and nurturing personal ideas and challenges.'
Speakers
Session 1. Keynote Speech
'AI Tectonic Shift and the Redefinition of Creativity ~How to Work Utilizing Human Strengths~'
Hiroshi Ishii, Deputy Director, MIT Media Lab
Session 2. 4 Breakout Sessions Chosen by Personal Interest and Dialogue
Kento Hatase, Representative Director & CEO, MEMORY LAB Inc. / Forbes 30 UNDER 30 Asia & Japan
Masahiko Sato, Chief Strategist, Technology Strategy Office, R&D Group, Hitachi, Ltd.
Takashi Uchiyama, Former JAXA 'Kounotori' Spacecraft Flight Director / Astronaut Challenge Evangelist
Tetsuro Fujinuki, Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer & CTO, SUBARU Corporation
■ Scenes from the Event
Session 1. Keynote Speech 'AI Tectonic Shift and the Redefinition of Creativity ~How to Work Utilizing Human Strengths~'
Hiroshi Ishii, Deputy Director, MIT Media Lab
He presented the importance of raising one's perspective by viewing things from a grand scope and timeline of the universe and the world, as well as three abilities for creating the future.
During the lecture, he emphasized that imagination and sensitivity that transcend common sense will be the driving force to create the future. He explained from the perspective that 'ambition/vision' and 'beauty' will reach the future of the year 2200, beyond the end of one's life, and will be passed on to the next generation.
[Three Abilities to Create the Future]
- 'Protruding nail ability': The ability to expose oneself and stand out
- 'Pathfinding ability': The ability to challenge and create a path no one has walked before
- 'Mountain-building ability': The ability to build a new mountain
Session 2. 4 Breakout Sessions Chosen by Personal Interest and Dialogue
Participants chose a breakout session based on their own interests, concerns, and awareness of issues, dividing into 4 spaces to hold dialogue sessions between guest speakers active on the front lines of different fields and the participants. Participants faced their own interests and beliefs once again, encountered diverse perspectives and values unobtainable in their workplaces, and enjoyed an uplifting experience of thinking that freely expanded their ideas.
[Theme] Connecting the World's 'Knowledge' to Generate the Next Innovation ~Structuring Distributed Knowledge and Turning it into Value~
Kento Hatase, Representative Director & CEO, MEMORY LAB Inc. / Forbes 30 UNDER 30 Asia & Japan
Under the theme 'Connecting the World's "Knowledge" to Generate the Next Innovation,' he spoke about the background leading from his experience of setback to brain research, and the potential of technology to solve social issues. Many participants were moved by Mr. Hatase's belief that what moves the world is not a massive system, but the 'passion of a single individual.'
[Theme] Hitachi's Open Innovation Activities and Case Studies of Utilizing an Employee Community Continuing for 20 Years
Masahiko Sato, Chief Strategist, Technology Strategy Office, R&D Group, Hitachi, Ltd.
Under the theme of 'Hitachi's Open Innovation Activities and Employee Community', ... (Text truncated in source)