Hi, I'm
Mike
AI Consultant
Father
Educator
Transhuman
Philosopher
Mike Schaffner — AI Consultant, Workshop Facilitator & Transhumanist in Basel, Switzerland. Creative mind,
technical skills
Hi, I'm
I'm Mike. Father. Teacher. Nerd. Someone who stumbled into AI and never quite recovered.
I've always been drawn to finding the embarrassingly simple version of something complicated. It shows up everywhere - how I parent, teach, and work. I'm pragmatic to the bone and deeply curious - about technology, what it means to be human alongside it, and how I can be a little bit better tomorrow then i was today.
I share everything I gather along the way, because knowledge hoarded is knowledge wasted.
Not a sales call. We talk about what's actually going on — what's frustrating you, what you're curious about, what you want to understand. From there I figure out what actually makes sense. Sometimes that's a workshop. Sometimes it's something simpler.
I offer creative support where you need it most — whether it's thinking something through, analyzing what's broken, or building your solution from scratch.
Not every problem needs AI. But when it does, I help you figure out exactly where it fits — without the hype, without the overwhelm. We look at what you're actually doing, where things are breaking down, and whether AI can genuinely make it better.
I show up with a structure and the freedom to leave it behind. Whether it's a team of two or a room full of people who've never touched AI, I explain things until they actually land — not until the time runs out. The goal isn't a polite nod. It's the moment something clicks.
This is the part I can't switch off. I think seriously about where technology is taking us, what it means to stay human inside it, and whether that's even the right question. If you want to go deep on AI ethics, the future of work, or what transhumanism actually means beyond the buzzword — I'm always up for that conversation.
Before we talk tools, we talk workflow. Most businesses don't have a technology problem — they have a clarity problem. I help you map what's actually happening, find where things get stuck, and build something simpler that works. Digital transformation doesn't have to mean chaos.
Sometimes the simplest solution is just building the thing. I put together automations, AI-powered workflows, and lightweight tools that solve specific, real problems — nothing over-engineered, nothing you'll need a manual to use. Practical by default. Elegant where it counts.
I like trying new stuff and tinkering around — sometimes something useful comes out of it.
The site you're looking at right now. Built from scratch with nothing but static HTML, CSS, JS and a lot of back-and-forth with Claude. No frameworks, no templates I understood, just vibes and stubbornness. It's not perfect — but it's mine.
Look, I built this entire portfolio in a couple of evenings over a weekend. Give me a minute. There's cool stuff in the pipeline — I just need to finish it before I can show it off. Check back soon.
Yes, this one too. Turns out vibecoding a whole portfolio site from scratch takes more than one weekend. Who knew? I've got ideas — they're just not screenshot-ready yet. In the meantime, enjoy the carousel arrows. They bounce.
Jack of all trades, master of curiosity — from electrician to educator, bartender to AI consultant.
Helping small and medium businesses to use this new technology in their business. Providing hands-on consulting for AI integration, digital transformation strategies, and workflow automation.
Administrative support at the Zentrum für Brückenangebote (ZBA). Developing and teaching AI courses for young people and teaching staff, bridging the gap between emerging technology and education.
Completed a 15 ECTS postgraduate program at HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich in collaboration with Intrinsic. Covered learning methods, community building, visioning, team culture, and digital learning trends including Design Thinking and Lean Startup methodologies.
Over a decade behind the bar, crafting cocktails and creating memorable guest experiences. From dive bars to upscale lounges, ending at Hinz & Kunz in Basel — mixing drinks, reading rooms, and turning strangers into regulars. A masterclass in improvisation, hospitality, and staying calm when everything's on fire.
Built, developed and maintained the IT systems across 7 campus locations. Managed the talent database and administered all client hardware and software infrastructure.
Co-founded a talent development company in the esports space. Built the organization from the ground up, focusing on grassroot esports and nurturing emerging talent in competitive gaming.
Led campus operations across multiple locations, managing the full IT infrastructure, coaching team leadership, and mentoring young ICT talents aged 12-15. Organized campus events, managed budgets, and developed the campus concept further.
Created digital playlists and managed film programming at Stüssihof cinema. Responsibilities included cinema equipment maintenance, technical support for private events and festivals, ticket sales, and running the concession bar.
Installed, serviced and repaired cinema projection and audio equipment — including projectors, sound systems, and media players. Completed the Christie Digital Cinema certification course.
Co-founded a startup focused on vegan burger products. Responsible for business development, product development, and building the brand from scratch.
Completed a 4-year apprenticeship as a grid electrician at Elektra Baselland (EBL) with a technical Berufsmatura. Trained in cable work, overhead lines, substation construction, and public lighting systems.
Some of these come up at parties. Some in business meetings. Surprisingly, there's overlap.
Yes. NFC chips between thumb and index finger, and magnets in my ring fingers. I can unlock my front door with a wave, transfer my contact details by touch, and sense electromagnetic fields — which is less useful than it sounds, but way cooler. I once tried to get a magnet implanted in my skull to perceive music through vibrations. Both surgeons and veterinarians declined. Their loss.
A few times, yeah. I was in Swisscom's award-winning web series "CLASH — Analog vs. Digital" where I swapped lives with a farmer. I've been on SRF as part of their "Menschmaschine" series, profiled by watson.ch, written up in the NZZ, and even wrote an essay for Schweizer Monat called "I'd Like to Be a Spaceship." Which, honestly, I still would.
All of the above, at different points. I co-founded Captain Plant (vegan burgers) at 22, co-founded A Maze Thing AG in esports, spent a decade behind bars — the cocktail kind — and scouted young IT talent at ICT-Scouts/Campus. Now I do AI consulting, teach at ZBA, and run workshops. The thread through all of it? I get curious, I go deep, and I can't sit still.
I show up with a plan and the freedom to throw it out the window. Whether it's a team of two or a room of fifty, I explain things until they actually click — not until the slides run out. I cover everything from prompt engineering to AI-powered content creation. I also co-host the podcast "KI Ahnig" (Swiss-German pun: KI = AI, "kei Ahnig" = no clue) — which honestly describes most people's starting point, and that's fine.
I mean... wouldn't you? My take is simple: dying is wasteful. I'm interested in how technology can extend what the human body and mind can do. Not because I think we're broken, but because I think there's more. I also acknowledge the risks — especially around brain tech and false memories. Enthusiasm without ethics is just recklessness with better marketing.
Yes. I also practice knife throwing. It's the kind of skill that's completely useless until someone at a party says "no way" — and then it's the most useful skill in the room.
SMEs, startups, sole proprietors, and the Canton of Basel-Stadt. Basically anyone who knows AI is happening and wants to figure out what it means for them specifically — without the hype, without the jargon. I also teach young people at ZBA and mentor emerging tech talent. The common thread: I meet people where they are, not where the industry thinks they should be.
Still do. I wrote about it in Schweizer Monat. The idea is: if we could digitize consciousness, why stay in one body? Why stay on one planet? It sounds sci-fi, but every technology we use today sounded sci-fi once. I take the question seriously. The essay title wasn't a joke — it was a career goal.
Whether it's AI, digitalization, or something you can't quite put into words yet — I'm happy to just talk and see what happens.