Unlocking the Future: From concept to reality

Recently, I had the privilege of attending the first Web Summit in Qatar. The event was billed as bringing together in Doha the people and companies redefining the global tech industry, with the organisers promising that it would feature a diverse array of change-makers, technologists and innovators. 

I was very keen to be there because the summit provides a platform for participants to engage with the latest developments in technology and explore opportunities for growth and collaboration, not only in the Gulf region but further beyond, too. My passion and personal interest lie in sustainability, emerging technologies, diversity and inclusion, and it was exciting to be able to explore these topics and find further inspiration at the event.

Attendees heard from prominent speakers addressing a wide range of topics, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, cybersecurity, digital marketing, fintech, healthcare innovation, sustainability and more. The event showcased emerging startups alongside established companies, offering opportunities for collaboration, investment and knowledge sharing. 

Having worked in technology for well over a decade myself, I’m very supportive of initiatives and programmes empowering women in technology. As such, it was great to see and make use of a dedicated area for women to relax, meet, network and reflect.

A common theme resonating across many of the panel discussions, delegates and sessions was the transformative power of AI and its implementation across various sectors, from media and social media to human resources, data, technology, healthcare and more. Industry leaders are acknowledging that AI is still not trusted enough, so they are calling for better education and help in getting people to get closer to it, as both creators and consumers. 

Before the event kicked off, I met Erik, Commercial Director of LutherOne. Speaking with him and co-founder Lukas became even more interesting when we figured out we could talk in our native languages, Slovak and Czech respectively, and understand each other just fine! LutherOne, founded in Czechia,  is a data-centric performance and engagement platform. In recent years, and especially since the pandemic, companies have been putting more effort into employee engagement, through various tasks, like surveys and feedback, to increase productivity and collaboration. LutherOne combines multiple areas through modules into one single platform. It uses data to drive actions and enable robust decision-making. I was impressed by its design, functionality and ease of use – and it even has its internal social network!

As a STEM ambassador, I’m enthusiastic about exploring innovative approaches to captivate children's interest in STEM fields, with a special focus on engaging children with technology. 

I had the pleasure of meeting two young co-founders, Mourad and Moussa, from Techmology, a company based in Algeria. Techmology is dedicated to crafting educational robotics kits tailored for children, offering engaging hands-on learning opportunities. The co-founders express deep enthusiasm for their kits, designed to cater to various age groups ranging from six to 12 years old. Their target audience includes schools and educators, whom they aim to support through educational videos and interactive in-person sessions, facilitating the process of building and programming robots. We also talked about how they could perhaps adapt their designs in the future to get more girls interested in robotics and programming and drive a change in STEM globally. I hope I can use Techmology robots in one of my coding clubs soon!

I was lucky enough to attend a couple of talks by Amjad Masad, the founder of Replit, the first native AI platform for programming. Replit is at the forefront of enabling anyone to build an app by leveraging AI and making it accessible to all. It was great to meet him and fascinating to listen to his story and hear why he thinks using AI is going to be a must for new startups.

I found the conversations about the government’s role in AI, and the importance of maintaining an ethical perspective on AI, particularly intriguing. These topics are particularly relevant in healthcare, for example – a sector that depends on trust and transparency. Hearing about these challenges directly from Nadine Nehme, co-founder of Medicus AI, was very valuable. Nadine highlighted that there is still a need for humans to assess and evaluate algorithms and be accountable and responsible for the development and implementation of AI technologies. 

Blockchain and cryptocurrency have been around for some time now, but as more industries explore their adaptation, we could well be on the verge of seeing all kinds of benefits that these technologies can bring. At the summit, I attended a talk about leveraging blockchain in supply chains to identify and distribute goods efficiently, from factories to warehouses to retailers. In large countries where transportation and infrastructure pose a larger issue, this solution could be particularly interesting.

I also met Ibrahim Baker, CEO of Manjam Funds, who talks passionately about how the company is a pioneer in offering the first Shariah-compliant fund leveraging cryptocurrency and digital assets. These are early days from a regulatory perspective when it comes to investing in blockchain and cryptocurrency. However, rather than a challenge, Ibrahim and his team see this as an opportunity to set the standards early, work with regulators and lawmakers and lead the future transformation in digital asset management.

My own view, after engaging in conversations with individuals from diverse backgrounds about the future of AI, is that I firmly believe that there’s no looking back. While the journey towards AI adaptation may be lengthy, companies must recognise that abstaining from it will ultimately leave them lagging behind. 

However, in a world where algorithms curate our content and virtual assistants cater to our every query, it’s easy to lose sight of the profound depth that human interaction offers. The exchange of ideas, emotions and experiences in face-to-face encounters cultivates empathy, understanding and a sense of belonging that transcends the confines of the digital domain. 

This Web Summit proved once again that human interactions are invaluable. During these couple of days in Doha, I met people from as far away as the West Coast of the USA, Africa and East Asia. They came from different backgrounds and were attending for different reasons, from networking and seeking investment opportunities to looking for their next role, or bringing their services and product to the Gulf region and beyond.