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Workshop/tutorial on AI and emerging technologies

Time and place: Friday, 11 October 2019, 09:00 – 12:00 and 14:30 – 17:00 (TU Montbrillant building, Room K)
The International Telecommunication Union hosted a tutorial and associated panel session on AI and emerging technologies on Friday, 11 October 2019 at ITU Headquarters from 09:00 to 17:00.

Photos from the tutorial can be found here

(Contact devSG@itu.int for additional information)

Background information

The purpose of this workshop and tutorial is to learn more about emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence, and their effect on countries, cities, industries, and people. Experts will talk about how the world is being transformed by the 4th industrial revolution or Industry 4.0 which takes the digital revolution one step forward. We will look more closely at the technologies at its center that enable large-scale, low-cost automation and machine intelligence, and show how data and AI have the potential to affect how we learn, work, move, communicate, and interact.

Return to the main ITU-D SG1 Rapporteur Group meeting page
Return to the main ITU-D SG2 Rapporteur Group meeting page

[07:30 - 09:00 Badging and registration (ITU Montbrillant)

[09:00 - 09:10] Welcome and opening of workshop

Opening remarks: Ahmad R. Sharafat, Chairman, ITU-D Study Group 2

[09:15 - 11:00] AI building blocks

Trainer: Rémi Laurent Emmanuel Sabonnadiere, EPFL Extension School (Switzerland) [Presentation]

What is AI, what can AI do, what can AI not do?
Terminology of AI: narrow AI, general AI, machine learning, neural networks, deep learning, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning. Examples of what AI can do. Examples of where AI goes wrong. A non-technical explanation of how neural networks and deep learning work. A non-technical overview of AI tools.

What is data and why does it matter in the context of AI? 
Data accessibility and consistency. Data as a limiting factor. The secret AI sauce: the machine learning equation – data, computational power and expertise. Collection, analysis and inference of data. The role of data. How to become data literate. Why you will need to learn how to use data. Why sharing data is so important.

How to integrate a data culture in your organization, and why it matters?
Digital transformation, organization challenges, lifelong learning, implementation strategies, etc.

[11:00-11:15] Coffee/tea break

[11:15 - 12:00] What is AI’s impact, significance and value on society and the economy?

Trainer: Zhifeng Zhang, Huawei (People’s Republic of China) [Presentation]

Key technologies in AI, their characteristics and key AI applications in different areas. Trends in AI and the current status of associated technology and its anticipated impact. Opportunities and challenges in the field of AI. AI as a new general purpose technology and the AI industry.

[14:30 - 15:00] AI for development (AI4D)

Facilitator: Aminata Amadou Garba, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) [Presentation]

How can AI be applied to address development challenges? How can governments use mobile data and AI to analyze the socio-economic challenges and better serve the population?

[15:00 - 16:50] Panel on AI use cases

Moderator: James Njeru, , Communications Authority of Kenya, Kenya

In which areas of AI be the most effective, and what are some practical use cases of AI in these areas? What are the associated benefits and challenges? What are the lessons learned and future steps to ensure that AI is applied in a more efficient way in these specific areas?”

Marco Codastefano, World Food Programme (WFP): AI and big data in emergency response – Exploring the use of drones and artificial intelligence in the emergency context, especially immediately after the emergency strikes [Presentation]
Fadel Digham, R&D Department, National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA), Egypt: AI for smart societies – AI and applications in the context of the smart society [Presentation]
Bastiaan Quast, ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB): AI and health – Ongoing and future work [Presentation]