With more than 70,000 attendees over a four-day period, the Web Summit in Lisbon brought together politicians, technologists, and NGOs to think together, exchange views and set priorities about the global technological agenda.
With more than 70 dedicated discussions and panels, AI was one of the hot topics of the summit and several sessions discussed a wide range of topics on AI and society. Discussions ranged from tech presentations on how to develop better AI to existential debates on its implications for the environment and for humanity.
As part of the SHERPA project, Trilateral Research participated in the Social Innovation Village of the Web Summit along with other projects and initiatives all pushing the envelope for “more social good in technology and more technology in social good”.
Under the auspices of the Social Good Accelerator, we set out to stir the global technological agenda towards social good and we were in good company. We joined forces with projects and initiatives, such as Next Generation Internet, CAPPSI, MAZI, Democratie Ouverte, grassroots radio, streetwize, and so many others.
Trilateral team is developing case studies focussed on the ethical and human rights implications of the application of smart information systems in ten different domains ranging from energy and telecoms to agriculture, as well as scenarios about the future implications of such technologies in education, defence, transport and policing. In parallel with this work, we are also exploring regulatory options for the future and developing a Delphi study, which will involve more than 60 European experts in a two-step survey.
At the event, we showcased the beginnings of SHERPA’s scenarios work that set the seeds for deepening the debate on the implications of AI in Policing, Warfare, Education, Health and Social care, and Transport. The project attracted the keen interest of representatives from more than 100 large and small organisations and networks in Europe and further afield, from Google to Amazon to the global start-up network of the Founders Institute and many more.
Our concerted effort with the Social Good Accelerator, our spokesperson on stage for Doing IT with Purpose, led to public commitment by Commissioner Moedas towards the cause. We could not have hoped for more. For a snippet of the conversation click here.
To get a preview of SHERPA’s scenario work and take part in the debate click here.
To know more about the project, visit the SHERPA project page or contact our team.
