DeepFest 2024: A platform for AI leaders and luminaries

The future will mostly likely be determined by lines of code, and that’s the reality on the horizon, thanks to the unstoppable rise of artificial intelligence (AI).

According to a PwC report, AI is poised to inject a mind-blowing $15.7tn into the global economy by 2030, and this is more than the current output of China and India combined.

Based on this outlook, AI has the potential to rewrite the economic rulebook, and deeply influence the way we work, create and communicate, and that’s just for starters.

These possibilities will dominate the conversation, led by the most future-forward group of industry titans, tech innovators, futurists and thought leaders, at DeepFest this year.

The region’s leading AI event is returning for a second year to the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre in Malham, Saudi Arabia, from March 4-7. The even is also co-located with LEAP, one of the world’s most well-attended tech events which had 172,000 people show-up for the 2023 edition.

DeepFest: Bringing in the experts

In what is a real treat for tech fans, the latest edition of DeepFest has added more speakers and topics to its line-up. The luminaries scheduled to speak include Omar Hatamleh, the former chief advisor for AI and Innovation at Goddard Space Flight Center and the lead for NASA IT Strategy at NASA.

Hatamleh, who was with NASA for over 25 years, is the co-author of BetweenBrains, a thought-provoking book that deep explores the impact of AI on the future of jobs, ethics, technologies, and economies. Considered a global thought leader on the subject, Hatamleh will showcase the impact of AI as he explains ‘A Future of Innovation and Strategic Transformation’.

When it comes to AI, generative AI (Gen AI) is a crucial part of the narrative and can’t be ignored. McKinsey research found that Gen AI features stand to add up to $4.4tn to the global economy annually. Steering the conversation on its responsible use and governance at DeepFest is Ivana Bartoletti, global chief privacy officer at Wipro.

The privacy and data protection expert, and author of An Artificial Revolution: On Power, Politics & AI, will address head on the importance of data privacy, data security and responsible data sharing in AI applications.  

Like Bartoletti, Sol Rashidi, chief analytics officer at Estée Lauder, is considered one of the most influential women in the world of tech and AI.  Rashidi even helped IBM launch Watson in 2011 as one of the earliest world applications of AI. A pioneer in the data industry with eight patents issued and 21 filed, Rashidi will shed light on the supply chain of operationalising AI and what it entails, covering both hardware and software.

Another global tech strategist, Laurie Fuller is known for empowering startups with AI to foster sustainable, inclusive growth. The venture partner at Raiven Capital will leverage her experience to explain how companies can make “AI real for business”. Fuller who has lived and worked across the US, Europe, Asia and Africa, will bring a global perspective on the potential of AI, and how it can create value for businesses.

Pushing the envelope will be the principal focus during DeepFest. Meetup CEO David Siegel, a key speaker at the event, says if businesses don’t understand how to adapt and change their models they will be stuck in the past. He will demonstrate why it’s critical to learn the most important best practices when pivoting a business model related to AI. To this end, Siegel will present a Meetup case study and how the company changed its business model during the global Covid-19 pandemic.

AI and its impact on the future of work and crime prevention

When it comes to accepting change, another key subject on everyone’s mind will be how AI is going to transform society and the future of work. Zoom COO, Aparna Bawa, and Shaloo Garg, MD AI – Late-Stage Startups and Unicorns at Microsoft will address this topic with Areiel Wolanow, MD Finserv Experts. All three experts have an in-depth knowledge of the key developments that are transforming technology and will offer an enlightening take on how companies and individuals can prepare for the new wave.

Shedding further light on the transformative power of AI is Eric Tan, Coupa chief information officer and chief security officer. He will speak about the role of AI in revolutionising how we safeguard our communities. New AI technologies are enabling law enforcement agencies to gather, process, analyse, and highlight relevant data for investigators of all types of crime.

DeepFest attendees will discover how data-driven insights and intelligent algorithms, powered by large language models and computer vision contribute to more effective crime prevention and disaster management.

Furthermore, the event will feature other key areas that AI is influencing.  Sharing these insights will be regional and international speakers, including Aku Srikanth, director and principal at Workday; Fady Younan, co-founder and CEO at Unlock; Ramses Alcaide, CEO of Neurable and Saad Godil, co-founder and chief technology officer of Hippocratic AI. These experts

To know more about the other speakers at DeepFest 2024, click here.