“We are proud to have made our way through the ups and downs” declared both Farvest Group Managing Directors, Charlotte Boutelier & Margaux Vetzel, to introduce the ICT Spring comeback. They thought big for this new edition! It was based on 4 pillars: the mix of expertise from a European and international view, themed zones in the exhibition area to deep dive into several key sectors this event intends to explore, workshops sessions and a TV show to interview and share knowledge with targeted professionals and the relationship with outstanding international delegations to create unique networking moments and favor the creation of strategic partnerships thanks to a closer collaboration with the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce.
Use new technologies as an instrument of change
Future World Vice-Chair Sean Cleary clearly said that – considering the current context – “we are going to face huge challenges” in the (near) future. As there are important shifts in the geopolitical, environmental, and social contexts. There is an imminent need to set national mitigation and transformative pathways so as to best respond to these upcoming challenges. This inevitably passes by the ratification of coherent laws and regulations to respect the COP27 objectives.
For these reasons, it appears essential to consider “how we can use digitalization as an instrument to change our economies and societies”, the Minister of the Economy Franz Fayot expressed. Digitalization offers “a whole new range of possibilities”, and can also present as a tool “to reduce our material footprint in different sectors”. In parallel, Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce Director General Carlo Thelen highlighted that “Luxembourg has been preparing to be digital ready”, as the government invested in 5G infrastructures or supercomputing (MeluXina). It is to note that a seamless and successful digital transition goes hand in hand with a collaborative approach.
On this note, different companies innovate in this sense, attempting to go deeper in the exploration of the new technologies capabilities. This is the deeptech company Mentalista wager, specialized in brain-environment interfaces. Its CEO Bastien Didier presented his solution, which consists in analyzing emotions, visualizations, concentration, through the power of… brainwaves! It has never been simpler to interact with your environment, as this solution only requires your brain (and not your body) action. This shows that technology can help us dive deeper into the understanding of our brains. Hence, we can imagine that Mentalista’s innovation could notably be considered for healthcare applications.
AI, Metaverse and NFTs: challenges or advantages?
As NFTs are commonly used in the financial sector, they can also represent a new lever for the art industry. Gallery 1:1 Founder Sumo, on stage with SCHILTZ & SCHILTZ Partner Nadia Manzari, admitted that he “discovered NFTs at the beginning of last year” and they are “more than an image”. This can be used as a tool to support the artist, and “give people a different way to experience my work”, Sumo added.
Speaking of experience, TechCrunch Editor-at-Large Mike Butcher predicted that the way we navigate in the Internet will considerably change. He explained that “in the future, we will be in the Internet, in the experience”. In other words, these technologies are to enable anyone to travel without moving. Though the Metaverse is a “lovely idea”, it still has a long way to go, notably in terms of regulations regarding the use of avatars and interactions.
In this logic, regulations regarding cyber identity are also required so as to ensure cybersecurity in this new space. “70% of cyberattacks have originated from an identity breach”, Atos Global CTO (Cybersecurity Products) Vasco Gomes alarmed. Although the Metaverse is full of promises, the rate of phishing attacks might increase accordingly. Relying on AI could help interact in the virtual world, alert on threats, or even recover after an attack. ”There is hope in AI helping us in metaverses!”
In this sense, SMILE Founder and CEO Pascal Steichen stated that new technologies bring both opportunities and challenges, especially pointing out that “email scam is a big issue at the moment” for businesses. To prevent this, it is important to build trust and protect human rights, notably through raising awareness among the organization (employees, clients, providers). Also, businesses should request help from experts when they have an incident. “Cybersecurity is a share of responsibilities”, he added. Businesses should focus on developing in a reliable and secure way, counting on three ingredients: human, technology, and organizations. These three aspects surely require consideration to help support funding, research, development, capabilities, skills, and so on.
