Coordinators World Bank Indermit Gill/ CGDev Rachel Glennerster Fischer Memorial Lecture  Robert B. Zoellick Guest Nationals  UK El-Eliran & Egypt - Queens Cambridge- See also Nobel Hassabi Alos UK LSE Oriana Bandiera Singapore Danny Quah & Selina Ho & Saravana Ravindran HKUST via LSE UK and China Keyu Jin (see also H Shum & nvidia at HKUST) Heiwai Tang HKU University of Hong Kong -- Asia Global Institute  previously SAIS (JHU).  China Xinquan Tu UIBE Beijing -visit scholar JHU 06 Germany - Steckel Korea - Shin-wha Lee,\ India Arvind Panagariya World Bank Hosts include Somik Lall (also teaches JHU)

Tuesday, July 22, 2025 Preston Auditorium, World Bank Headquarters 09:00 – 09:15 Welcome Remarks Indermit S. Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group Chief Economist of the World Bank Group His work includes concept of the “middle-income trap” to describe how countries stagnate after reaching a certain level of income. The 2024 World Development Report, highlights strategies for countries to escape the middle-income trap—by adopting modern technologies and driving innovation. cf 2025 human development report is on AI 09:45 – 10:30 Keynote Address Mohamed El-Erian, President of Queens' College at Cambridge University Queens is undergrad alma mater of Deep Mind AI Demis Hassabis -interview after his Nobel Prize by El-Erian https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muwZu5iG_Ww and lecture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHooQmmzG4k&t=2520s 11:30 – 13:10 Session 1: Reviving Multilateralism KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Danny Quah, Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics, Lee Kuan Yew School  CHAIR: Matteo Bugamelli, Executive Director, World Bank PANELISTS: Paper 1: Multilateralism: Whenever We Can or Only When We Must? (Masood Ahmed, Center for Global Development) Paper 2: Regionalism and Multilateralism: Southeast Asia (Selina Ho, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore ) Paper 3: Asia-Pacific Growth and the Changing International System (Xinquan TU, China Institute for WTO Studies, University of International Business and Economics) 14:30 – 16:00 Session 2: Artificial Intelligence CHAIR: Gaurav Nayyar, Director of the World Development Report 2026, World Bank  PANELISTS:  Paper 1: AI as Normal Technology (Arvind Narayanan, Princeton University) Paper 2: How does Competition Policy Need to Change in a World of Artificial Intelligence? (Catherine Tucker, Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Paper 3: Could AI Leapfrog the Web? Evidence from Teachers in Sierra Leone (Daniel Björkegren, Columbia University) DISCUSSANT: Han Sheng Chia, Policy Fellow, Center for Global Development Wednesday, July 23, 2025 Preston Auditorium, World Bank Headquarters 08:00 – 09:00 Registration and Breakfast 09:00 – 09:30 Stanley Fischer Memorial Lecture: Geopolitics and Development Robert B. Zoellick, former President of the World Bank Group (2007-12), former Deputy Secretary of State (2005-06), former U.S. Trade Representative (2001-05) 09:30 – 11:00 Session 4: Geopolitical Shifts CHAIR: Aaditya Mattoo, Chief Economist, East Asia and Pacific, World Bank   PANELISTS: Paper 1: Geopolitical Shifts and New Strategic Directions in Northeast Asia (Shin-wha Lee, Korea University) Paper 2: Migration and Geopolitical Shifts (Saravana Ravindran, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore) Paper 3: Industrial Policy, Trade, and Geopolitical Shifts (Heiwai Tang, University of Hong Kong) 11:00 – 11:15 Coffee Break 11:15 – 11:45 ABCDE 2025 Lecture Indermit S. Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics 11:45 – 13:15 Session 5: Africa Growth and Opportunity CHAIR: Gero Carletto, Senior Manager in the Development Data Group at the World Bank   PANELISTS: Matteo Bugamelli, Executive Director, World Bank Andrew Dabalen, Chief Economist of the World Bank's Africa Region Amb. Robin Renee Sanders, CEO of FEEEDS & FE3DS, LLC and Former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria and the Republic of the Congo Johan Swinnen, Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute Leonard Wantchekon, Professor of Politics and International Affairs and Associated Faculty in Economics at Princeton University 13:15 – 14:45 Lunch Break 14:45 – 16:00 A Book Talk with Keyu Jin  The New China Playbook Beyond Socialism and Capitalism CHAIR: Indermit S. Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics   SPEAKER: Keyu Jin, Professor of Finance, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Thursday, July 24, 2025 Birdsall House, Center for Global Development 08:30 – 09:30 Registration and Breakfast 09:30 – 09:45 Opening Remarks Rachel Glennerster, President of the Center for Global Development 09:45 – 11:15 Plenary Panel: Poverty, Education, and Health in an Era of Unilateralism, Conflict, and Climate Change  CHAIR: Rachel Glennerster, President of the Center for Global Development   PANELISTS: Paper 1: Trends in Health, Education, and Poverty Reduction in LMICs (Tom Vogl, University of California - San Diego) Paper 2: The Role of Safety Nets in Times of Uncertainty and Polycrisis (Rema Hanna, Harvard University) Paper 3: Public Finances and Service Delivery (Shanta Devarajan, Georgetown University) Paper 4: The Role of Voter Preferences in Shaping Policy Outcomes (Laura Schechter, University of Wisconsin - Madison) 11:15 – 11:45 Coffee Break 11:45 – 13:00 A Fireside Chat with Indermit S. Gill and Arvind Panagariya: India’s Economic Progress and What It Means For The Global Economy CHAIR: Indermit S. Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics   SPEAKER: Arvind Panagariya, Chairman of the Sixteenth Finance Commission of India 13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break 14:00 – 15:30 Session 6: How can Development Economics Meet the Moment? Practice, Research, and Teaching in a Time of Unilateralism and Polycrisis  CHAIR: Markus Goldstein, Vice President of the Center for Global Development   PANELISTS: Oriana Bandiera, Sir Anthony Atkinson Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics Jishnu Das, Professor of Public Policy at the McCourt School of Public Policy and the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University Leonard Wantchekon, Professor of Politics and International Affairs and Associated Faculty in Economics at Princeton University 15:30 – 16:00 Coffee Break 16:00 – 17:30 Session 7: Education Policy  CHAIR: Deon Filmer, Director of the Development Research Group, World Bank   PANELISTS: Paper 1: The Global Distribution of Skills (Dev Patel, Harvard University) Paper 2: Cognitive Endurance as Human Capital (Christina Brown, University of Chicago) Paper 3: Lead Exposure and Learning Outcome Stagnation (Lee Crawfurd, Center for Global Development) Paper 4: School-Based Violence as an Impediment to Better Schooling Outcomes (Gabriela Smarrelli, Center for Global Development) 17:30 – 19:00 Cocktail Reception Friday, July 25, 2025 Birdsall House, Center for Global Development 08:15 – 09:00 Registration and Breakfast 09:00 – 10:30 Session 8: Agricultural Markets and Nutrition CHAIR: Eeshani Kandpal, Senior Fellow and Research Manager, Center for Global Development   PANELISTS: Paper 1: Overview of Agricultural Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa (Chris Barrett, Cornell University) Paper 2: Poverty Measurement and the Cost of Healthy Diets (Wiliam A. Masters, Tufts University) Paper 3: Intergenerational Effects of Early Childhood Shocks (Kibrom Tafere, World Bank) Paper 4: Food subsidies to Producers and Consumers and Their Impacts on Child Nutrition (Kathy Baylis, University of California - Santa Barbara) 10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break 11:00 – 12:15 Session 9: Migration CHAIR: Dany Bahar, Senior Fellow and Director of Migration Displacement and Humanitarian Policy Program, Center for Global Development   PANELISTS: Paper 1: Skills, Labor Market Shifts, and International Migration (Çağlar Özden, World Bank) Paper 2: Demographic Shifts in LMICs and HICs and Impacts for Migration (Wendy Cunningham, World Bank) Paper 3: Development Impacts on the Sending Country (Caroline B. Theoharides, Amherst College) 12:15 – 12:45    Closing Remarks and Presentation of Human Development Flagship Report Mamta Murthi, Vice President for People Vice Presidency at the World Bank 12:45 – 13:00 Fireside Chat between David Evans and Mamta Murthi SPEAKERS: Mamta Murthi 1, Vice President for People Vice Presidency at the World Bank David Evans, Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Development 13:00 – 14:30  Lunch Tuesday other  09:15 – 09:45 Opening Remarks: The End of Development Cooperation? Masood Ahmed, President Emeritus of the Center for Global Development 10:30 – 11:15 Plenary Panel: Development in the Age of Populism CHAIR: Justin Sandefur, Lead for Economic Growth, Low-and Middle-Income Countries Program, Open Philanthropy   SPEAKERS: Indermit S. Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics Rachel Glennerster, President of the Center for Global Development Danny Quah, Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics, Lee Kuan Yew School x 16:15 – 17:45 Session 3: Pollution CHAIR: Somik Lall, Senior Adviser in the Office of the World Bank Group Chief Economist and Director for Development Policy   PANELISTS: Paper 1: Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis of Ex-Post Evaluations on the Effectiveness of Carbon Pricing (Jan Steckel, Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change) Paper 2: Quality of Carbon Credit Projects and Alternative Methods to Finance Sequestration (Barbara Haya, University of California - Berkeley) Paper 3: Can Pollution Markets Work in Developing Countries? Experimental Evidence from India (Kaushik Deb, The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago's India Team) DISCUSSANT: Carolyn Fischer, Lead Economist, Development Research Group, World Bank

UN Human Dev Report https://hdr.undp.org/content/human-development-report-2025

Gaurav Nayyar is a Lead Economist in the Office of the Chief Economist in the Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions Vice Presidency at the World Bank, which he joined as a Young Professional in 2013. Previously, he was an Economics Affairs Officer in the Economic Research Division of the World Trade Organization, where he co-led the World Trade Report 2013, Factors Shaping the Future of World Trade. Gaurav’s research interests lie primarily in the areas of economic growth, structural transformation, trade, industrialization, and firm productivity, and he has published in a variety of academic journals on these issues. His latest book is At Your Service? The Promise of Services-Led Development. Gaurav holds a DPhil in Economics from the University of Oxford, where he was a Dorothy Hodgkin Scholar. His other alma maters include the London School of Economics and Political Science, the University of Cambridge, and St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi.

The World Bank's 2026 World Development Report (WDR) will focus on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in economic development, examining its potential benefits and challenges for developing countries, according to The University of Chicago. The report aims to explore how developing nations can leverage AI to enhance their economies while mitigating potential negative impacts. 

Here's a more detailed look at what's expected:

• AI's Impact on Development:

  The report will analyze how AI is transforming various sectors and its implications for developing countries, including potential job displacement and the need for reskilling and upskilling initiatives. 
• AI and Economic Growth:

  The report will likely explore the potential of AI to boost productivity, create new industries, and facilitate economic diversification in developing nations. 
• Mitigating Risks:

  The WDR will likely address the challenges associated with AI adoption, such as the digital divide, cybersecurity threats, and the need for robust regulatory frameworks. 
• Human-Centered Approach:

  The report is expected to emphasize the importance of a human-centered approach to AI development and deployment, ensuring that AI benefits all segments of society and doesn't exacerbate existing inequalities, according to the United Nations Development Programme. 
• Specific Focus Areas:

  The report may delve into specific areas where AI can have a significant impact, such as healthcare, education, and environmental management, according to Miami-Dade County. 
• Collaboration and Partnerships:

  The World Bank is likely to highlight the importance of collaboration between governments, the private sector, and international organizations in harnessing the power of AI for development

UN Human report 2025 on AI

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https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/video/2025/05/01/ai-for-social-impact-developed-resource-optimization-and-future-acceleration-with-foundation-models#:~:text=As%20part%20of%20the%20joint,improvements%20in%20these%20critical%20sectors.

AI for Social Impact: Developed Resource Optimization and Future Acceleration with Foundation Models

0:00 / 81:57

As part of the joint WDR 2026 and AI for Digital Development event, Professor Milind Tambe shared key insights from over two decades of pioneering work on AI for social impact. His presentation highlighted real-world deployments of end-to-end AI systems in public health, conservation, and public safety—demonstrating how AI-driven resource optimization can generate meaningful and measurable improvements in these critical sectors.

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RELATED

Development Research Group

AI for Digital Development Research Initiative

CHICAGO NOV 2024 https://growthcenter.uchicago.edu/ai-roundtable/#:~:text=AI%20is%20unleashing%20a%20new,AI%20while%20mitigating%20adverse%20effects.

3 ROUNDTABLES

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer the stuff of science fiction; it is rapidly reshaping economies around the world.” On the one hand, “smart” machines can boost productivity by reducing human error; optimizing complex design, production, and distribution processes; improving the delivery of public services; and facilitating decision-making. On the other hand, there are concerns about the distributional impacts of AI between and within countries. Advances in AI could automate many jobs and depress wages. There are also concerns about competition—namely, that large technology companies headquartered in a few advanced economies have an unfair advantage in creating and deploying AI.

AI is unleashing a new wave of digitalization. And its potential economic impacts are manifold. The World Bank’s 2026 World Development Report (WDR) will examine the promise and pitfalls of AI for economic development and what developing countries can do to enhance the value of AI while mitigating adverse effects. Through a collaboration between the Growth Academy, hosted by the University of Chicago, and the World Bank, a brainstorming session with leading scholars and practitioners will be held in Chicago on November 21st to set the ball rolling on the 2026 WDR.

To guide the brainstorming, three panels are being organized:

 

AI as a Technology: What is Changing in the Global Economy? (1)

• • AI’s Impact on Productivity Growth, Innovation, and Jobs
  • Differences with Previous Waves of Technological Change

Governance of AI: Market Concentration, Privacy, and Regulation (2)

• • Market Structure, AI Monopolies, and Regulation
  • Restrictions on Data Flows, Privacy Considerations and Societal Impact

AI as an Opportunity for Developing Economies (3)

• • Use cases of AI in Developing Economies
  • Leapfrogging with AI-Enabled Technologies

Panel of Experts

Philippe Aghion

Professor

College de France & INSEAD

Altan Cakir

Dean

Istanbul Technical University

James Evans

Professor of Sociology and Data Science

The University of Chicago

Nick Feamster

Neubauer Professor of Computer Science

The University of Chicago

Indermit Gill

Chief Economist & Senior Vice President for Development Economics

The World Bank 

Jason Hickey

Head

Google Research, Ghana

Aziz Huq

Frank and Bernice J. Greenberg Professor of Law

The University of Chicago

Ben Jones

Gordon and Llura Gund Family Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategy

Northwestern University

Katie Watson Jordan

Policy Manager

Meta

Robert Grossman

Frederick H. Rawson Distinguished Service Professor for Medicine and Computer Science

The University of Chicago

Niel Thomson

Director of FutureTech research project

MIT

Gabriel Demombynes

Manager of the Human Capitol Project

The World Bank

Rembrand Koning

Associate Professor of Business Administration

Harvard Business School

Elías Zomaro Sillero

Chief Data Officer

Sevilla FC

Joel Mokyr

Robert H. Strotz of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Economics and History

Northwestern University

Organized by

Ufuk Akcigit

The Arnold C. Harberger Professor in Economics and the College

The University of Chicago

Somik Lall

Senior Adviser, Office of the Chief Economist

The World Bank

Gaurav Nayyar

Economic Advisor, Development Economics

The World Bank

Co-chairs 

Laura Chinchilla Former President of Costa Rica . 

Michael Spence Philip H. Knight Professor Emeritus of Management, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University 

Members 

Masood Ahmed President Emeritus, Center for Global Development 

Deemah AlYahya Secretary-General, Digital Cooperation Organization 

Kaushik Basu Professor of Economics and the Carl Marks Professor of International Studies, Cornell University 

Haroon Bhorat Professor of Economics and Director of the Development Policy Research Unit, University of Cape Town

 Diane Coyle, Bennett Professor of Public Policy, University of Cambridge; Co-Director, Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge

 Gretchen C. Daily Director, Natural Capital Project and Bing Professor of Environmental Science, Stanford University 

Marc Fleurbaey Research Director, CNRS; Professor, Paris School of Economics; Associate Professor, Ecole normale supérieure, Paris

 Paula Ingabire Minister, ICT and Innovation, Republic of Rwanda

 Sheila Jasanoff Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology Studies, Harvard Kennedy School Ravi Kanbur T. H. Lee Professor of World Affairs, International Professor of Applied Economics and Management and Professor of Economics, Cornell University 

Luis Felipe López-Calva Global Director, Poverty and Equity Global Practice, World Bank Group

 J. Nathan Matias Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, Cornell University 

Arvind Narayanan Professor of Computer Science, Princeton University; Director, Center for Information Technology Policy 

Rapelang Rabana Co-CEO, Imagine Worldwide Francesca Rossi IBM Fellow and the IBM AI Ethics Global Leader, TJ Watson Research Center 

Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem Head, Department of Philosophy and AI Ethics Lead, Center for AI Research, University of Pretoria 

Zeynep Tufekci Henry G. Bryant Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs, Princeton University

 Krushil Watene Peter Kraus Associate Professor in Philosophy, University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau 

Linghan Zhang Professor, Institute of Data Law, China University of Political Science and Law

from geneeva's ai for good

yann lecun https://aiforgood.itu.int/event/steering-the-future-of-ai/

amazon https://aiforgood.itu.int/event/using-ai-to-tackle-our-planets-most-urgent-problems-2

benioff https://aiforgood.itu.int/event/humans-ai-partnering-for-good/

https://aiforgood.itu.int/event/ai-for-human-rights-smarter-faster-fairer-monitoring/

Yu Ping Chan heads Digital Partnerships and Engagement at UNDP, the United Nations’ development agency. As part of the leadership of UNDP’s Digital, AI and Innovation Hub, Yu Ping helps drive global thought leadership and builds partnerships to support the agency’s digital development work.

Yu Ping previously headed the Rising Nations Initiative Secretariat at the Global Center for Climate Mobility. She has extensive experience with multilateral diplomacy and the United Nations system, having also previously led the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, as well as the Policy and Regional Support teams in the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism. Prior to this, she worked in the UN’s Department of Political Affairs, and in the New York Office of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Before joining the UN Secretariat, Yu Ping was a diplomat in the Singaporean Foreign Service. She served at the Singapore Mission to the United Nations in New York as well as at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, overseeing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Yu Ping has a Bachelor of Arts (magna cum laude) from Harvard University, and a Masters of Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.

4:10 - 14:30

 Solutions stage

 In-person

Keynote

AI + Communication technology for a harmonious coexistence between humans and marine wildlife

This presentation shares a practical case of how AI and communication technologies are being applied to support the conservation of the Chinese white dolphin. China Mobile, in collaboration with its partners, has developed and implemented an...

• 

  Xi Cao

  Director of AI Standardization at the Artificial Intelligence Center, China Mobile Research Institute

15:20 - 15:40

 Solutions stage

 In-person

Yuanjing model: Boosting industrial digitalization

This talk highlights the achievements of China Unicom's Yuanjing Large Model in boosting industrial digital and intelligent upgrading. It covers the five-in-one AI framework comprising data, models, MaaS, industrial agents, and the AI security system,...

• 

  Wang Kai

  Vice Manager, China Unicom Data Intelligence Co., Ltd

5:20 - 15:40

 Frontier stage

 In-person

Keynote

Innovation into impact: How LG’s EXAONE models advance health, sustainability, and ethics

LG AI Research is committed to “Advancing AI for a Better Life”, developing EXAONE, Korea's only foundation model on Epoch AI's Notable Models list. EXAONE Deep provides PhD-level reasoning, democratizing AI tools for researchers worldwide. Our...

• 

  Youchul Kim

  Head of Strategy, LG AI Research

15:35 - 15:55

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Keynote

The future of AI-powered scientific breakthroughs

• 

  Bernhard Schölkopf

  Director, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems

16:00 - 16:20

 Solutions stage

 In-person

Keynote

• 

  Qizhen Weng

  Director, AI Infrastructure Research Center, China Telecom (TeleAI)

Bingqing Peng

Bingqing Peng is currently a Senior Researcher at DAMO Academy, Alibaba Group.  She received B.S. from Nanjing University with major in Mathematics and M.S. in Statistics from University of Washington Seattle. Her research focuses on time series analysis and AI for Science,  with industrial applications in renewable energy and weather forecasting.

• Organization

  Alibaba Group
• Profession

  Senior Researcher, DAMO Academy

Related sessions

In person

9 July 2025

•

09:00 - 17:15

Innovate for impact: The winning AI use cases

09:40 - 10:00

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Keynote

AI for LPG ( Life, Production, Governance ) to a global public good benefiting humanity

• 

  He Biao

  CEO, China Mobile Communications Group Co Ltd

10:00 - 12:00

 Room Alpha

 In-person

Workshop

Empowering equal access to healthcare with AI

This session, organized by IHCA, highlights the urgent need to address mental health challenges among teenagers in underdeveloped regions. By focusing on inclusivity and affordability, we will discuss how AI can expand access to quality...

• 

  Zhang Min

  Vice dean and Vanke Chair Professor, Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University

• 

  Alex Ng

  President, Tencent Healthcare

• 

  Ken Carswell

  Technical Officer, World Health Organization (WHO)

• 

  Chen Xingjia

  Founder, Ever Care Charity Foundation and International Health Charity Association (IHCA)

• 

  Karina Rios Michel

  Chief Creative & Technology Officer, Girl Effect

• 

  Yang Lan

  Founder and Chairperson, Sun Media Group and Sun Future Art Education Foundation

• 

  Yu Minhong

  Founder and Chairman, New Oriental Education & Technology Group

• 

  Margaret Chan

  Emeritus Director General, World Health Organization (WHO)

• 

  Lan Xue

  Distinguished Professor and Dean, Schwarzman College Tsinghua University

See 6 more

10:00 - 12:00

 Room Beta

 In-person

Panel

AI and sustainability walk into a café: Satellites, data centres in space and beyond

Not just a thought experiment, this is a conversation we urgently need and inherent to the future we need to reimagine. In this workshop, we will explore how emerging technologies like IOWN (Innovative Optical and...

• 

  Rika Nakazawa

  Chief, Commercial Innovation, NTT

• 

  Gadhu Sundaram

  Chairman, Green Software Foundation

• 

  Axel Callabed

  Director, Digital Technology for UN, NTT DATA Inc.

• 

  Mario Garcia

  Global head of UN accounts, NTT DATA Inc.

• 

  Abishek Sakhuja

  Chief AI & Data Officer, NTT DATA Inc.

• 

  Frederic Le Maistre

  CIO, UNV

xxx11:00 - 11:20

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Keynote

Embracing AI for Good: Insights and practices

As a driving force behind the new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) is profoundly reshaping global economic and social development, as well as human civilization. China Telecom actively embraces AI,...

• 

  Liu Guiqing

  Executive Director, President and Chief Operating Officer, China Telecom

11:30 - 12:00

 Solutions stage

 In-person

Panel

Tech Leadership on the Frontlines: A Dialogue with Now Go Build CTO Fellows

Following a brief premiere of the Now Go Build CTO Fellowship documentary series introduced by Amazon CTO Dr. Werner Vogels, meet several of the tech innovators featured in the series. These dedicated nonprofit tech leaders...

• 

  Fermín Selva

  Program Coordinator and CTO, CRIES

• 

  Aleksandra (Ola) Bilicka

  Operations Officer, Help.NGO

• 

  Clemence Kyara

  Chief Technology Officer, Code for Africa

• Moderator

  Frederic Werner

  Chief, Strategy and Operations, AI for Good, TSB, International 

articipants

• 

  H.E. Dr. Takuo Imagawa

  Vice Minister, International Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan

 Le Poivrier Restaurant

 In-person

Invitation only

Networking Lunch

Bridging frontier innovation with non-profit practice

Join the lunch event, "Bridging frontier innovation with non-profit practice," organized by International Health Charity Association, where entrepreneurs and non-profit leaders share insights on leveraging cutting-edge technology to uplift healthcare and education. Gain fresh perspectives,...

• 

  Chen Changyu

  CEO, International Health Charity Association (IHCA)

• 

  Zhang Min

  Vice dean and Vanke Chair Professor, Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University

• 

  Alex Ng

  President, Tencent Healthcare

• 

  Ken Carswell

  Technical Officer, World Health Organization (WHO)

• 

  Chen Xingjia

  Founder, Ever Care Charity Foundation and International Health Charity Association (IHCA)

• 

  Karin

 Frontier stage

 In-person

Keynote

Towards the industrial application of LLM: Selection and enhancement of foundation models

This report presents the advancements made by China Unicom in addressing real-world challenges during the industry-wide implementation of large models, including the establishment of a quantitative benchmark for model capability boundaries to resolve the model-selection...

• 

  Wang Kai

  Vice Manager, China Unicom Data Intelligence Co., Ltd

Wednesday, 9 July

09:00 - 17:00

 Youth zone

 In-person

Robotics for Good Youth Challenge Grand Finale 2025

The Robotics for Good Youth Challenge Grand Finale is the prestigious culminating event of the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge 2024-2025, held at the AI for Good Global Summit 2025. Experience the excitement as teams...

• 

  Anna Sanchis

  CTO, Make and Learn

• Moderator

  Lukas M. Ziegler

  Chief Evangelist, Botnanza

• 

  Irène Voeuk Heinke

  Auditor, JPA

• 

  Nana Obayashi

  Robotics Doctoral Candidate, CREATE Lab, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, EPFL

• 

  Brandon Andrews

  Co-Founder, Gauge

• 

  Seizo Onoe

  Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB), International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Vincent Vanhoucke

  Distinguished Engineer, Waymo

• 

  Manuel Bernal Lecina

  PhD student, The ETH Zurich - EPFL Join Doctoral Program for the Learning Sciences (JDPLS)

• 

  Nadir Atayev

  Lead RF Engineer and Scientist, Research and Development Department, Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azercosmos)

• 

  Guillem Martínez Roura

  AI and Robotics Programme Officer, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Kai Junge

  CTO/Co-Founder, Embodied AI

• 

  Linh Tong

  Deputy Director, Center for Education Promotion and Empowerment of Women (CEPEW)

• 

  Francesco Stella

  Founder and CEO, Embodied AI

• 

  Seyed Hesam Salehpour

  AI Specialist, UNITAR

Participants

• 

  Rescue Rangers

  Junior, India

• 

  AI Pioneers

  Senior, India

• 

  Cyberdragons

  Junior, Brazil

• 

  Sancabots ao Resgate

  Senior, Brazil

• 

  Munali Boys

  Junior, Zambia

• 

  Robot Rangers

  Senior, Zambia

• 

  RoboKai

  Junior, Ethiopia

• 

  Digital Spartan

  Senior, Ethiopia

• 

  Serian Team

  Junior, Kenya

• 

  Simbatech Experts

  Senior, Kenya

• 

  Zimbotron Jnr 08

  Junior, Zimbabwe

• 

  Zimbotron_06

  Senior, Zimbabwe

• 

  Future Innovators

  Junior, Nigeria

• 

  Elite

  Senior, Nigeria

• 

  PSCHOOL_KIDS

  Junior, Burkina Faso

• 

  AKO

  Senior, Burkina Faso

• 

  The Spartans

  Junior, Venezuela

• 

  All4ONE 

  Senior, Venezuela

• 

  R Tech

  Junior, Ghana

• 

  My Redeemer Tech

  Senior, Ghana

• 

  Steam J04 

  Junior, Lesotho

• 

  Soofia Robotics Team (S02)

  Senior, Lesotho

• 

  J-Bots

  Junior, Bolivia

• 

  Jucumari Tech Sports 

  Senior, Bolivia

• 

  Robo-Rangers

  Junior, South Africa

• 

  Witness the fun

  Senior, South Africa

• 

  SBEC-G Robotics

  Junior, Gambia

• 

  Nusrat Robotics Team 

  Senior, Gambia

• 

  Peak primary school

  Junior, Uganda

• 

  Our Lady of Africa SS

  Senior, Uganda

• 

  Maoka Robotics BW 

  Junior, Botswana

• 

  BotsForce One 

  Senior, Botswana

• 

  Team Gautam Buddha

  Junior, Nepal

• 

  Team Sagarmatha

  Senior, Nepal

• 

  Preludio

  Senior, Colombia

• 

  Young Innovators

  Senior, South Sudan

• 

  K-Robotics for Humanity

  Senior, South Korea

09:00 - 16:00

 Room Gamma

 In-person

Invitation only

Training

Startup accelerator programme

• 

  Asmaa EL Andaloussi

  Lead Enterprise Strategist & Architect, Lenovo

• 

  Jan Goetz

  Quantum Physicist, and Co-founding Co-CEO, IQM

• 

  Tristan Post

  CEO and Founder, AI Strategy Institute

• 

  Josep Aliagas

  CEO, Dis Capital

• 

  Tomas Petrek

  CEO & Co-owner, Forbes 30u30, GoBigname

• 

  Carlo Tortora Brayda di Belvedere

  Executive Chairman, National AI and Cyber Security ISAO

See 3 more

09:00 - 12:15

 Room Q

 In-person

Workshop

AI innovation for early warnings for all: Bridging gaps, saving lives

This workshop, hosted by the AI Sub-Group of the Early Warning for All (EW4All) initiative, will serve as a platform to highlight AI driven innovations that enhance early warning systems for disasters and extreme weather...

• 

  Saiyeba Zaman

  Project Officer-DRM, Pilot Programmatic Partnership (PPP) Programme, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS)

• 

  M Maruf Alam James

  Assistant Director of the ICT Division, University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh

• 

  Sadia Afrin Sayfa Negaban

  Student, University of Dhaka

• 

  Tonoy Mahmud

  Dept. of Disaster Science and Management

• 

  MD Asif Rafsan

  Disaster risk reduction and climate resilience professional

• 

  Shamima Ferdousi Sifa

  Assistant Professor in the Department of Disaster Science and Climate Resilience, University of Dhaka

• 

  Margherita Philipp

  Data scientist, EconAI, Fundació d'Economia Analítica (FEA)

• 

  Ko Barrett

  Deputy Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

• 

  Erica Allis

  Senior Programme Officer, Global Framework for Climate Services, World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

• 

  Scott Williams

  Disaster Risk Management Expert & Board member, Resurgence

• 

  Dilupa Nanayakkara

  Communications and Marketing Lead, Resurgence

• 

  Esraa Elgadi

  DARAJA Project Manager (East Africa & MENA), Resurgence

• 

  Francesco Carnielli

  Technical Director, Ignitia

• 

  Theresa Fehle

  Chief of Staff, Ignitia

• 

  Gabriella Crimi

  Senior Engagement Manager, McKinsey & Company

• 

  Andro Kortis

  Product Lead, DISHA

• 

  Andreas Vallgren

  Co-founder and Chief Science Officer, Ignitia

• 

  David Pastor-Escuredo

  Digital Innovation Lead, UCL and UPM, CNRS and UCSD

• 

  Archana G. Gulati

  Deputy to the Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Sara Venturini

  Chief of Member Services, Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Secretariat

• 

  Omnia Abbas Shawkat

  Founder, Andariya

• 

  Nina Bekele

  Strategic Partnerships Development Manager, Google

• 

  Grey Nearing

  Research Scientist, Google

• 

  Newton Campbell Jr.

  Computer Scientist, AI Subject-Matter Expert for “Early Warning for All”, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Sara Ballan

  Senior Digital Development Specialist, Co-lead Green Digital Business Line, The World Bank

• 

  Christopher J.L. Murray

  Professor; IHME Director; Chair, Department of Health Metrics Sciences, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)

• 

  Ko Barrett

  Deputy Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

• 

  Kevin White

  Senior Director, AI for Good Lab, Microsoft

• 

  Vanessa Gray

  Head, Environment and Emergency Telecommunications Division, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Chris Emberson

  GIS professional, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Loretta Hieber-Girardet

  Chief, Risk Knowledge, Monitoring and Capacity-Development Branch, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)

• 

  Andrew Zolli

  Author | Chief Impact Officer, Planet

See 29 more

09:00 - 17:15

 Room U

 In-person

Workshop

AI and Machine Learning in communication networks

This workshop marks the 3rd edition of the MLComm series, continuing the exploration of AI/ML in modern communication networks. As networks evolve towards IMT-2030 (6G), AI/ML is transforming telecom architectures, enabling distributed intelligence, AI-native operations,...

• 

  Stephen Kolesh

  Machine Learning Engineer, Sportserve

• 

  Jeanine Vos

  Head of SDG Accelerator, GSMA

• 

  Murat Unlusan

  Associate Director, Access Network Architecture, Turkcell

• 

  Hoda Baraka

  Advisor to Minister of ICT for Technology Talents Development, National AI Lead and Acting Director, Egyptian Center for Responsible AI

• 

  David Cox

  VP for AI models, IBM Research

• 

  Daniel Becking

  Research associate and Ph.D. student, Fraunhofer HHI and TU Berlin

• 

  Zhiyuan Jiang

  Professor, Shanghai University

• 

  Nada Golmie

  NIST Fellow, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

• Moderator

  Lina Bariah

  Senior Researcher, Khalifa University of Science and Technology

• 

  Zoran Utkovski

  Principal Researcher, Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI)

• Moderator

  Nicola Piovesan

  Senior Researcher, Huawei

• 

  Antonio De Domenico

  Principal Engineer, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

• 

  Ahmed Alkhateeb

  Assistant Professor, Arizona State University

• 

  Wei Meng

  Director of standard and open source planning, ZTE Corporation

• 

  Henning Sanneck

  Research Manager, EU SNS-JU 6G-MIRAI-HARMONY project

• Moderator

  Vishnu Ram OV

  Independent Research Consultant, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Chih-Lin I

  China Mobile Chief Scientist, Wireless Technologies, China Mobile Research Institute

• Moderator

  Thomas Basikolo

  Programme Coordinator, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Bilel Jamoussi

  Deputy Director of TSB & Chief, Study Groups & Policy Department (SPD), International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Celina Lee

  Co-Founder & CEO, Zindi Africa

See 17 more

09:00 - 17:15

 Room V

 In-person

Workshop

Innovate for impact: The winning AI use cases

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds great potential to benefit society but realizing the technology’s full potential needs understanding of not only use case specific requirements but also regional preferences. Rapid strides in AI research, brings forth...

• 

  Bingqing Peng

  Senior Researcher, DAMO Academy, Alibaba Group

• 

  Elzahraa Ibrahim Mohamed Abdelhafiz

  Member, AI for Good Scholars – Innovate for Impact program

• 

  Kyeongmin Lee

  Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Morphing I Co., Ltd.

• 

  Fikret Sivrikaya

  R&D Director, Center for Tangible AI and Digitalization (ZEKI) / TU Berlin

• 

  Junjie Xia

  Deputy General Manager of the Technology Innovation Department, China Unicom

• 

  TBA

  DG, MIIT

• 

  TBA

  Vice Minister, MIIT

• 

  H.E. Mr. Younis Haji Al Khoori

  Undersecretary, Ministry of Finance, United Arab Emirates

• 

  Gye-Poong Kai Byeon

  Chief Business Officer, ESTsoft

• 

  Mohammed Rashid AlShamsi

  Vice President – Commercial & Business Growth, DP World Digital GCC

• 

  Richard Chuchla

  Co-chair, GeoGPT Governance Committee

• 

  John Ludden

  Co-chair, GeoGPT Governance Committee

• 

  Owen Zhang

  Head of Marketing, Technology Platform Group, Baidu

• 

  Eisa Hassan Alhammadi

  Head of the Applications and Digital Services Section, Ministry of Finance, UAE

• 

  Halima Ismaeel

  Senior Information Technology and Telecommunications Projects Specialist, Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, Kingdom of Bahrain

• 

  Yi Chen

  Global Partnership Lead, DAMO Academy, Alibaba Group

• 

  Gypsy de Jonge

  Health sector leader, NT Health

• 

  Shaoshuai Che

  Chief Second-level Expert, China Telecom

• 

  Mariam Ali Al Suwaidi

  Chief Archaeologist, Antiquities Department, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority

• 

  Kiran Raj Pandey

  Executive Director, Health AI for All Network

• 

  Anissa Agahchen

  Co-Founder & COO, Etcera

• 

  Mohamed Bin Daar

  Senior System Analyst, DP World

• 

  Cathy Zhou

  Standards Expert, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

• 

  Jaden Xie

  Co-founder, PixVerse

• 

  Gabriel Fonlladosa

  Program manager, data354

• 

  David Agahchen

  Co-Founder & CEO, Etcera

• 

  Zhen Dai

  Principal Engineer and AI expert, Artificial Intelligence Research Centre, China Southern Power Grid

• Moderator

  Linbi Deng

  Manager, International Cooperation Group, China Artificial Intelligence Industry Development Alliance (AIIA)

• 

  Xi Cao

  Director of AI Standardization at the Artificial Intelligence Center, China Mobile Research Institute

• Moderator

  Paula Palade

  AI Ethics Senior Technical Specialist, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)

• 

  James Boogere

  CEO and Co-founder, Rein4ce Learning (U) Ltd

• 

  Sara El-Ateif

  Assistant Professor, ENSIASD Taroudant

• 

  Michael Mollel

  Founder, Sartify

• 

  Jae Won Kim

  CEO, Elice, Inc.

• 

  Khalid Ishaq

  Head of AOCC Integration, Dubai Airports

• 

  Yusuf Tungekar

  Head of Operations Business Systems, Dubai Airports

• 

  Eric Kern

  Chief Engineer, The Scott-Morgan Foundation, Former Executive Director, AI Center of Excellence, Distinguished Engineer , Lenovo

• 

  Vinay Kaushik

  Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Information Technology Sonepat

• Moderator

  Yue Qiu

  Associate Professor and Senior Research fellow, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University

• 

  Minji Cha

  Co-founder and R&D Director, CherryPot

• 

  Ameni Khachlouf

  Head of the Research and Development Department, Tunisie Telecom

• 

  Fan Fu

  Large Model Algorithm Director, vivo AI Global Research Institute

• 

  Anna Derkacheva

  Associate Professor, HSE University

• 

  Changhyun Byun

  CEO, iSciLab, Inc.

• 

  Ye Jieping

  IEEE Fellow, Vice President, Zhejiang Lab

• 

  Sabrina Hsueh

  AI Enablement & External Innovation Lead, Pfizer

• 

  Zenon Lamprou

  R&D AI Engineer, Catalink Limited

• 

  LaVonne Roberts

  CEO, The Scott-Morgan Foundation USA

• 

  Muhammad Adamu

  Research-Student, ommunication Engineering at the Wireless and Photonic Networks (WiPNET) Research Center of Excellence, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)

• 

  Qizhen Weng

  Director, AI Infrastructure Research Center, China Telecom (TeleAI)

• 

  Ayori Selassie

  Founder, Life Model®

• 

  Fallon S. Wilson

  Co-Founder and Lead Principal Investigator, #BlackTechFutures Research Institute

• 

  Diogo Reis Santos

  Staff Data Scientist, CERN

• 

  Marcelo Mendoza

  Associate professor, Computer Science Department, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

• 

  Dennis Agyemah Nana Gookyi

  Research Scientist, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute for Scientific and Technological Information (CSIR-INSTI)

• 

  Chengyuan Zhao

  Senior Product Manager, Ant Group

• 

  Dan Travers

  Co-founder and director, Open Climate Fix

• 

  Moon Choi

  Head and Associate Professor, Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy, KAIST

• 

  Boulbaba Ben Amor

  Director – AI for Good, Inception, a G42 company

• 

  Bakhit Al Jaren

  Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, Government of the United Arab Emirates, Director of the Digital Transformation Department, Ministry of Community Empowerment, United Arab Emirates

• 

  Qian Liang

  Associate Professor, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences

• 

  Patrick McSharry

  Research Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University

• 

  Fahad Mohamed Al Blooshi

  Director of Nuclear Security Department & Chief Innovation Officer, Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR)

• 

  Mohamed Ali Al Harbi

  Acting/ Safety Assessment-Operating Programs Manager & IONS Team Leader, Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR)

• 

  Ning Chen

  Chairman and CEO, Intellifusion

• 

  Rong Yu

  Head, Senior Technical Expert, Language & Science Laboratory at Alibaba DAMO Academy

• 

  Yi Zeng

  Co-chair of SC on AI, Co-lead of the AI Safety and Governance Program; Professor, Chinese Academy of Sciences

• Moderator

  Jingbo Huang

  Director, United Nations University Institute in Macau (UNU Macau)

• 

  Aduwati Sali

  Director, Institute for Mathematical Research and Intelligent Systems (INSPEM-SC)

• 

  YU Xiaohui 

  President, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT)

• Moderator

  Asrat Mulatu Beyene

  Associate Professor, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University

• 

  Tomas Lamanauskas

  Deputy Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  James Agajo

  Professor, Federal University of Technology Minna Nigeria

• 

  Shweta Khushu

  Manager, AI Engineering, Vector Institute

• Moderator

  Ammar Muthanna

  Associate Professor, Department of Telecommunication Networks, St. Petersburg State University of Telecommunications

• Moderator

  Artem Volkov

  Ph.D., Associate Professor, St. Petersburg State University of Telecommunications

• Moderator

  Vishnu Ram OV

  Independent Research Consultant, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Bilel Jamoussi

  Deputy Director of TSB & Chief, Study Groups & Policy Department (SPD), International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  H.E. Mr. Shan Zhongde

  Vice Minister, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, People’s Republic of China

See 76 more

09:00 - 12:15

 Room W

 In-person

Workshop

AI for space

Join leading experts, innovators, and decision-makers at this unique event spotlighting the intersection of artificial intelligence and space. From enhancing satellite safety and managing space debris to unlocking powerful Earth insights from orbital data, discover...

• 

  Rebeca Moreno Jiménez

  Lead Data Scientist, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

• 

  Janet Hernandez

  President, TMG

• 

  Katarzyna Cichecka

  Head, System and Applications Engineering Division, European Space Agency (ESA)

• 

  Stewart Bain

  CEO, NorthStar Earth & Space Inc.

• 

  Melissa Quinn

  General Manager, Slingshot Aerospace

• 

  Carissa Bryce Christensen

  CEO, BryceTech

• Moderator

  Patricia Cooper

  President & Founder, Constellation Advisory, LLC

• 

  Hamid Mehmood

  Head of the UN-SPIDER Beijing Office, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)

• 

  Andrew Zolli

  Author | Chief Impact Officer, Planet

See 6 more

09:00 - 12:15

 Room R

 In-person

Workshop

AI & virtual worlds: Building the cities and governments of tomorrow

AI and virtual worlds are transforming how cities and governments operate, deliver services, and connect with people. This workshop brings together leaders, policymakers, and innovators to explore how AI-powered virtual worlds and the citiverse can...

• 

  Idah Pswarayi-Riddihough

  Global Director and Director of Strategy and Operations at the Digital Transformation Vice-Presidency, World Bank Group

• 

  Lise Nicoud

  Deputy Mayor, City of Évian, France

• 

  Luis Santiago

  Innovation Adviser, Government Office for Information Technologies and Communication (OGTIC)

• 

  H.E. Mr Jerry William Silaa

  Minister, Ministry of Information, Communication and Information Technology, Tanzania (United Republic of)

• 

  Jeong-Kee Kim

  Secretary General, WeGO

• 

  Muath AlRumayh

  GM of International Affairs (CST) and Co-chair of the Joint Coordination Activity on Metaverse, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Dmitry Ontoev

  Advisor to the Minister of the Government of Moscow and Head, Department of Information Technologies of Moscow (DIT)

• Moderator

  Kamelia Kemileva

  Co-Director, Programmes and Administration, Global Cities Hub

• 

  Paola Cecchi Dimeglio

  Chair, Executive Leadership Research Initiative for Women and Minority (ELRIWMA); Professor, Harvard University

• 

  Bertrand Levy

  Vice President Partnerships, The Sandbox

• 

  Pilar Orero

  Professor, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain

• 

  Martin Brynskov

  Founding Director & Standardisation Lead, Open & Agile Smart Cities (OASC)

• 

  Michelle Gyles-McDonnough

  Executive Director, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

• 

  Raquel Brizída Castro

  Vice-Chairwoman, Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações (ANACOM), Portugal

• 

  Claudia Ximena Bustamante

  Executive Director, Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC), Colombia

• Moderator

  H.E. Mrs. Rina Yessenia Lozano Gallegos

  Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of El Salvador to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva

• 

  Sameer Chauhan

  Director, United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC)

• 

  Martin Wählisch

  Associate Professor, Transformative Technologies, Innovation and Global Affairs, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom

• 

  Seizo Onoe

  Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB), International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Okan Geray

  Chair, Steering Committee of the Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds and AI

• Moderator

  Cristina Bueti

  Counsellor, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Hyoung Jun Kim

  Chair, ITU-T Study Group 20 – Internet of Things, digital twins and smart sustainable cities and communities, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  H.E. Mr. William Kabogo Gitau

  Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications and The Digital Economy (MICDE), Kenya

• 

  Silvia Grandi

  Director, Department for Digital, Connectivity And New Technologies

See 21 more

09:00 - 12:15

 Room T

 In-person

Workshop

Developing responsible AI: Vision and practice

Amidst accelerating advancements in AI and growing disparities in digital access, the World Internet Conference (WIC) is going to convene a multidisciplinary coalition—including members of WIC Specialized Committee on AI, delegates from International standards bodies,...

• 

  Ebtesam Almazrouei

  Founder and CEO, AIE3

• 

  Moises Maldonado

  Data Scientist and Innovation Officer, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

• 

  Wendy Hall

  Regius Professor of Computer Science, Associate Vice President (International Engagement), Director of the Web Science Institute, University of Southampton

• 

  John Higgins

  Co-lead of the Standards Promotion Program of SC on AI; Co-founder and Chair, International AI Governance Association

• Moderator

  Xueli Zhang

  Deputy Secretary General , World Internet Conference (WIC）

• 

  Yi Zeng

  Co-chair of SC on AI, Co-lead of the AI Safety and Governance Program; Professor, Chinese Academy of Sciences

• 

  Kai Wei

  Vice Chair of SC on AI; Director, Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT)

• 

  Francis Gurry

  Vice Chairman, WIC; Former Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

• 

  Frederic Werner

  Chief, Strategy and Operations, AI for Good, TSB, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Liang Hao

  Executive Deputy Secretary-General, WIC

• 

  Luo Zhong

  Chair of SG16, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Pan Feng

  Deputy Director, Cyberspace Administration of Beijing

• 

  Seán Ó hÉigeartaigh

  Co-lead of Safety and Governance Promotion Program of SC on AI; Programme Director of Centre for the Future of Intelligence, University of Cambridge

• 

  Liudmila Zavolokina

  Professor of Digital Innovation and Information Systems, University of Lausanne

• 

  Chris Brown

  Vice Chair of the Data Working Group, World Internet Conference (WIC)

See 12 more

09:00 - 17:00

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

Prototypes for tomorrow: FuturePitch!

With FuturePitch, we empower students and educators to engage with sustainability, innovation, and product development in a hands-on, creative, and AI-supported way. In this two-level workshop, participants tackle real-world challenges. In the first part of...

09:00 - 17:00

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

Hands-on AI: How does AI really work?

At the EPFL booth, young adults will be introduced to machine learning, neural networks, and data processing. Through three different experiments, they will explore how AI works today. This hands-on approach puts you at the...

09:00 - 11:00

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

Learn to Speak AI: Everyday AI with a practical focus

This short, beginner-friendly course introduces the core principles of AI, with no prior experience required. You will explore what AI is, how it affects our daily lives, and practical applications and considerations. Through interactive lessons...

• 

  Melanie Jetter

  Environmental Health Scientist, Massachusetts United States

• 

  Michelle Warren

  Engineer, Georgia Power

• 

  Leigh Levinson

  PhD Candidate, Indiana University Bloomington

• 

  Nia Jetter

  Founder and CEO, thinqueBytes®

See 1 more

09:00 - 17:00

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

Robotics for humanitarian demining

This interactive workshop immerses participants in the critical mission of humanitarian demining, using robotics to simulate the safe retrieval and delivery of essential supplies in mine-contaminated zones. Inspired by real-world operations, attendees will navigate challenging...

09:30 - 16:30

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

E3bot: The AI educational robot

This 45-minute session offers a hands-on introduction to the E3bot, an educational robot developed for the CogLabs program by Google and UNESCO to make STEM and AI learning accessible and engaging. Participants will work in...

09:30 - 09:35

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Keynote

Bridging the AI innovation gap

• 

  Seizo Onoe

  Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB), International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

09:30 - 09:50

 Solutions stage

 In-person

Panel

Quantum technology and diplomacy: Why should we care?

The rapid advancement of quantum technology has been so transformative that the United Nations has designated 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. From establishing international standards and security frameworks to promoting...

• 

  Eleni Diamanti

  Research Director, Sorbonne Université and Co-founder, WelinQ

• 

  H.E. Mr. Omar Zniber

  Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva

• Moderator

  Maricela Muñoz

  Director of External Affairs, Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA)

09:30 - 12:00

 Hall 4

 In-person

Networking

Robotic speed networking

Scheduled flight destinations on the UFO, by Ufotech of Switzerland Book a UFO flight and meet people out of this world! Two collaboration flight destinations are described below, each featuring two distinct participant categories that...

09:30 - 16:30

 AI Art Gallery

 In-person

Networking

Agentic voicing natures by Harry Yeff and ElevenLabs

Agentic Voicing Natures is a groundbreaking AI-driven art installation that gives voice to ecosystem data and nature archetypes in ways never before possible. Created by Grammy-winning new media artist Harry Yeff in collaboration with audio research company...

• 

  Harry Yeff (REEPS100)

  Chief Curator of Artistic Intelligence Visionary Initiative, R100 Studios

09:30 - 09:50

 Frontier stage

 In-person

Keynote

Mind over machine: When AI listens to your thoughts

Sending a message, speaking aloud, playing a game, or moving a prosthetic just by thinking. What once sounded like science fiction is now becoming reality, thanks to brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). These groundbreaking systems decode brain...

• 

  Reinhold Scherer

  Head, School of Computer Studies and Electronic Engineering (CSEE), University of Essex

09:40 - 10:00

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Keynote

AI for LPG ( Life, Production, Governance ) to a global public good benefiting humanity

• 

  He Biao

  CEO, China Mobile Communications Group Co Ltd

09:50 - 10:30

 Frontier stage

 In-person

Panel

Decoding the global state of implantable brain-computer interfaces

Implanted brain-computer interfaces (iBCI) are progressing quickly, with over 25 years of research on long-term electrode implantation for communication and motor control applications and considerable private investment in recent years. Despite this progress and groundbreaking...

• 

  David Moses

  Adjunct Professor, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

• 

  Laura Y. Cabrera

  Associate Professor of Neuroethics, Penn State University (Center for Neural Engineering, Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics)

• 

  Donatella Mattia

  Neurologist, IRCCS: Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare

• 

  Ian Burkhart

  Co-founder, BCI Pioneers Coalition

• 

  Scott Imbrie

  Brain Computer Interface (BCI) participant , University of Chicago

• 

  Jose “Pepe” L Contreras-Vidal

  Professor and Center Director, NSF IUCRC BRAIN

See 3 more

09:50 - 10:10

 Solutions stage

 In-person

Panel

Quantum for all: Innovation, access & impact

With momentum building, the focus now shifts to access and real-world applications. As quantum technology progresses, so does the need to address security, global access, and the direction of its development. The rapid rise of...

• 

  Justine Lacey

  Director, Responsible Innovation, Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia

• 

  Clare Shelley-Egan

  Associate Professor, Ethics of Quantum Technologies, TU Delft

• Moderator

  Diederick Croese

  Director, Centre for Quantum & Society, Quantum Delta, Netherlands

• 

  Mira Wolf-Bauwens

  Head of Initiatives Development, Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA), Open Quantum Institute (OQI)

See 1 more

10:00 - 10:20

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Keynote

AI and climate change: Balancing innovation and sustainability

The speaker will discuss how to harness AI's immense potential for helping fight the climate crisis while keeping its environmental impacts in mind.

• 

  Sasha Luccioni

  AI & Climate Lead, Hugging Face

10:00 - 12:00

 Room Alpha

 In-person

Workshop

Empowering equal access to healthcare with AI

This session, organized by IHCA, highlights the urgent need to address mental health challenges among teenagers in underdeveloped regions. By focusing on inclusivity and affordability, we will discuss how AI can expand access to quality...

• 

  Zhang Min

  Vice dean and Vanke Chair Professor, Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University

• 

  Alex Ng

  President, Tencent Healthcare

• 

  Ken Carswell

  Technical Officer, World Health Organization (WHO)

• 

  Chen Xingjia

  Founder, Ever Care Charity Foundation and International Health Charity Association (IHCA)

• 

  Karina Rios Michel

  Chief Creative & Technology Officer, Girl Effect

• 

  Yang Lan

  Founder and Chairperson, Sun Media Group and Sun Future Art Education Foundation

• 

  Yu Minhong

  Founder and Chairman, New Oriental Education & Technology Group

• 

  Margaret Chan

  Emeritus Director General, World Health Organization (WHO)

• 

  Lan Xue

  Distinguished Professor and Dean, Schwarzman College Tsinghua University

See 6 more

10:00 - 10:45

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

AI in Motion: Machine Learning with Micro:bit

Discover how artificial intelligence and machine learning work by creating your own AI model using the BBC Micro:bit. Participants will train a model using motion data from their own movements, then run it directly on...

10:00 - 10:45

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

Games for a different approach to artificial intelligence

Take part in a fun, collaborative workshop to explore artificial intelligence through a selection of serious games designed for students aged 10 to 15. Tested in the classroom, these games tackle AI from a variety...

10:00 - 12:00

 Room Beta

 In-person

Panel

AI and sustainability walk into a café: Satellites, data centres in space and beyond

Not just a thought experiment, this is a conversation we urgently need and inherent to the future we need to reimagine. In this workshop, we will explore how emerging technologies like IOWN (Innovative Optical and...

• 

  Rika Nakazawa

  Chief, Commercial Innovation, NTT

• 

  Gadhu Sundaram

  Chairman, Green Software Foundation

• 

  Axel Callabed

  Director, Digital Technology for UN, NTT DATA Inc.

• 

  Mario Garcia

  Global head of UN accounts, NTT DATA Inc.

• 

  Abishek Sakhuja

  Chief AI & Data Officer, NTT DATA Inc.

• 

  Frederic Le Maistre

  CIO, UNV

• 

  Alfonso Medrano

  Head of Global Sustainability Business Development Strategy & Strategic Alliances, NTT DATA Inc.

• 

  Joaquim Barris

  Data Lead, Mitigation Division, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

• 

  Seizo Onoe

  Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB), International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

See 6 more

10:10 - 10:30

 Solutions stage

 In-person

Building tomorrow’s quantum workforce: Voices of future leaders in quantum

The future of quantum innovation depends on the next generation of talent. In this dynamic closing panel, future leaders in quantum take the stage to share their bold ideas, breakthroughs, and visions for a thriving...

• 

  Caden Kacmarynski

  Quantum Coalition | Chief AI Architect, MorelandConnect

• Moderator

  Rui Rui Xie

  Junior Project Officer, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Graduate Student, University College London

• 

  Thomas Verrill

  Quantum Coalition, Princeton University

• 

  Dmitrii Khitrin

  Quantum Coalition, Duke University

• 

  Ben McDonough

  Alumnus Advisor, University of Colorado Boulder

See 2 more

10:20 - 10:40

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Keynote

Agentic AI for regenerative and socially just planetary stewardship

I’ll be unveiling GaiaGraph—our agentic AI-powered decision intelligence framework designed not for domination, but for regeneration and justice. GaiaGraph isn’t just another knowledge graph. It’s a living, evolving epistemic engine that fuses imprecise probability, possibilistic logic,...

• 

  Moriba Jah

  Co-founder, GaiaVerse

10:30 - 10:50

 Frontier stage

 In-person

Keynote

AI for global brain health: Scaling non-invasive neuromodulation for Alzheimer’s disease

As neurodegenerative diseases rise worldwide, the need for scalable, accessible, and effective treatments has never been more urgent. This session will explore the possibilities of neuromodulation, specifically activating gamma brainwave activity to develop a new...

• 

  Christian F. Howell

  CEO, Cognito Therapeutics

10:40 - 11:00

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Keynote

AI in Africa: Beyond the algorithm

This urgent and deeply personal keynote reframes AI as a defining force that can either reinforce global inequality or ignite a new era of liberation. Drawing on a legacy of resistance, it exposes the emerging...

• 

  Kate Kallot

  Founder & CEO, Amini

10:45 - 12:45

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

Candli: How to create video games from students’ drawings

Candli is a platform for learning programming, mathematics, and physics by creating video games from your own drawings. Candli is a unique combination of artistic creation and visual programming. With this tool, a child, without...

• 

  Sophia Reyes Mury

  Program Manager, Swiss EdTech Collider

10:50 - 11:10

 Solutions stage

 In-person

Panel

Connection as the foundation: How AI can build bridges

AI has the potential to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges—but only when it starts with people at the center. In this session, Cameron Kruse, Director of Digital Technology at Bridges to Prosperity,...

• 

  Julie Lane

  Sr. Director, Social Impact and Inclusion Office, CISCO

• 

  Cameron Kruse

  Director of Digital Technology, Bridges to Prosperity

10:50 - 11:10

 Frontier stage

 In-person

Keynote

Enophones: Unlocking music’s neuroadaptive potential

With ever increasing cognitive demands in both professional and personal environments, the ability to maintain sustained attention, mental clarity, and emotional regulation is becoming a critical skill set. At ENO, we are pioneering real-time neuroadaptive soundscapes through...

• 

  Roy Burstin

  Co-founder and CEO, eno

11:00 - 11:45

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

Moon Health Challenge: M.A.R.S Rover

Join a space mission with the M.A.R.S Rover, a mobile, autonomous, robotic system inspired by NASA’s Curiosity rover and the BBC Microbit. Through building, coding, and global challenges-based problem solving, participants will explore robotics and...

11:00 - 11:20

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Keynote

Embracing AI for Good: Insights and practices

As a driving force behind the new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) is profoundly reshaping global economic and social development, as well as human civilization. China Telecom actively embraces AI,...

• 

  Liu Guiqing

  Executive Director, President and Chief Operating Officer, China Telecom

11:00 - 12:30

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

Invisibility cloak: Foundations of computer vision

The Invisibility Cloak Workshop is a hands-on, beginner-friendly introduction to computer vision, a fundamental area of artificial intelligence and robotics. This workshop uses green screen technology and is designed to make advanced tech topics fun,...

• 

  Melanie Jetter

  Environmental Health Scientist, Massachusetts United States

• 

  Michelle Warren

  Engineer, Georgia Power

• 

  Leigh Levinson

  PhD Candidate, Indiana University Bloomington

• 

  Nia Jetter

  Founder and CEO, thinqueBytes®

See 1 more

11:10 - 11:30

 Frontier stage

 In-person

Keynote

AI for global health: Autonomous biomanufacturing for living medicines

In a world striving for healthier lives and longer lifespans, the intersection of AI and regenerative medicine offers unprecedented possibilities. This presentation will showcase how AI-powered, autonomous biomanufacturing technology is poised to transform the production of...

• 

  Willie Reaves

  Head of Public Engagement, Cellino

11:10 - 11:30

 Solutions stage

 In-person

Protecting trust in crisis: AI in humanitarian information ecosystems

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping how we understand and respond to information in humanitarian contexts. From detecting misinformation to moderating harmful content, AI presents powerful tools—but it also carries significant weaknesses and risks. Poorly contextualized...

11:20 - 11:40

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Keynote

Quantum for Good: Shaping the future of quantum – What happens next?

Clear policies, strong frameworks, and a skilled workforce are essential for quantum technologies to reach their full potential, but what comes next? This session serves as a strategic wrap-up with key insights on next steps....

• 

  Leandro Aolita

  Acting Chief Researcher, Quantum Research Center

11:30 - 12:00

 Solutions stage

 In-person

Panel

Tech Leadership on the Frontlines: A Dialogue with Now Go Build CTO Fellows

Following a brief premiere of the Now Go Build CTO Fellowship documentary series introduced by Amazon CTO Dr. Werner Vogels, meet several of the tech innovators featured in the series. These dedicated nonprofit tech leaders...

• 

  Fermín Selva

  Program Coordinator and CTO, CRIES

• 

  Aleksandra (Ola) Bilicka

  Operations Officer, Help.NGO

• 

  Clemence Kyara

  Chief Technology Officer, Code for Africa

• Moderator

  Frederic Werner

  Chief, Strategy and Operations, AI for Good, TSB, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

See 1 more

11:40 - 12:00

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Panel

Crafting a well-balanced, pro-innovation regulatory framework

As artificial intelligence reshapes economies and societies, nations without legacy regulatory frameworks face both a rare opportunity and a profound responsibility. In this fireside chat, DLA Piper explores what it means to build AI regulation...

• 

  Danny Tobey

  Partner, DLA Piper

12:30 - 13:45

 Room X

 In-person

Invitation only

Networking Lunch

AI Skills Coalition partners lunch

Participants

• 

  H.E. Dr. Takuo Imagawa

  Vice Minister, International Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan

• 

  Doreen Bogdan-Martin

  Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Bilel Jamoussi

  Deputy Director of TSB & Chief, Study Groups & Policy Department (SPD), International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Amir Banifatemi

  Chief Responsible AI Officer, Cognizant

• 

  Irakli Beridze

  Head of Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)

• 

  Babak Hodjat

  Chief Technology Officer AI, Cognizant

• 

  Robert Opp

  Chief Digital Officer, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

• 

  Marie-Laure Salles

  Director, Geneva Graduate Institute

• 

  Robert Trager

  Co-Director, Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative, University of Oxford

• 

  Jovan Kurbalija

  Director, DiploFoundation

• 

  Hamid Mehmood

  Head of the UN-SPIDER Beijing Office, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)

• 

  Amanda Brock

  CEO, OpenUK

• 

  Tawfik Jelassi

  Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, UNESCO

• 

  Laura Turkington

  Global Corporate Responsibility Commercial and Innovation Leader, EY

• 

  Safiya Husain

  Chief Impact Officer & Co-Founder, Karya

• 

  Bolor-Erdene Battsengel

  CEO, AI Academy Asia

• 

  Philip Colligan

  Chief Executive Officer, Raspberry Pi Foundation

• 

  Michelle Gyles-McDonnough

  Executive Director, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

• 

  Lindsay Strouse

  Head of Partnerships, TBI

• 

  Felix Kirchmeier

  Executive Director, Geneva Human Rights Platform

• 

  Jenny Bates

  Director General, Economics, Climate and Global Issues, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)

• 

  Abby Daniell

  Director - Worldwide Public Sector, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

• 

  Salma Abbasi

  Founder, Chairperson and CEO, eWorldwide Group

• 

  Claude Bruderlein

  Founder and lead instructor, Frontline Associates Training Centre (FATC)

• 

  Minji Cha

  Co-founder and R&D Director, CherryPot

• 

  Miguel Panadero

  Acting Director, United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC)

• 

  Jae Won Kim

  CEO, Elice, Inc.

• 

  Kyeongnam Yeon

  Director, Center for Digital Talent Development, Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science & Creativity

• 

  Lydia Logan

  Vice President for Global Education and Workforce Development, CSR, IBM

• 

  Pamela Snively

  Chief Data & Trust Officer, TELUS

• 

  Jaco Jansen van Rensburg

  Vice President of Learning, ALX

• 

  Anupama Shekhar

  Senior Director, Skills for Social Impact Programs, Microsoft Philanthropies, Microsoft

• 

  Ajala Sodiq Babalola

  Co-founder & Partnership Director, Pristine SACC Initiative

• 

  Roberto Suarez Santos

  Secretary General, International Organisation of Employers (IOE)

• 

  Sobanan Narenthiran

  CEO, Breakthrough Enterprise

• 

  Wayne Morgan

  Co-Founder & Global Head of Strategy, Innovation & Partnerships, She is AI Magazine

• 

  Fahad AlBeyahi

  Head of Sync Global Digital Wellbeing, Ithra

• 

  Joon Baek

  Co-founder, Youth for Privacy

• 

  John Paul Danaee

  CEO, Equitably.ai

• 

  Ana Martiningui

  Vice President of Global Development, JA Worldwide

• 

  Lei Ji

  General Manager, Alibaba DAMO Academy

• 

  Robyn Scott

  CEO and Co-Founder, Apolitical

• 

  James McDonald

  Director, Travel Transformation, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)

• 

  Romain Leroy-Castillo

  Director Projects & AI, Swiss Sustainable Finance

• 

  Tom Wambeke

  Chief - Learning Innovation Programme, ITC ILO

• 

  Frauke Goll

  Managing Director, Applied AI Institute of Europe

• 

  Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven

  Board member, GIZ

• 

  Kevin Frey

  Director, UNICEF

• 

  Woo Sung Jung

  President, Korea Foundation for Science and Creativity (KOSAC)

• 

  Darren Entwistle

  President and CEO, TELUS

• 

  Gillian Hinde

  Global Corporate Responsibility Leader, EY

• 

  Sue Turner

  Founding Director, AI Governance Limited

• 

  Jungwan Cho

  CEO, CIT Coding Academy

• 

  Daniel Murenzi

  Principal Information Technology Officer, East African Community

• 

  Kate Margaret Barnes

  Director of Global Skills Partnerships, Microsoft

• 

  Carolyne Mélanie Régimbal

  Chief of Service, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA)

• 

  Shama Patari

  VP & Deputy General Counsel Ethics & Compliance, Government Relations & Global Trade Regulation, Lenovo

• 

  Adriana De Oro

  Coordinator, Geneva Innovation Movement

• 

  Mattie Zazueta

  Global Affairs, OpenAI

See 56 more

12:30 - 14:00

 Le Poivrier Restaurant

 In-person

Invitation only

Networking Lunch

Bridging frontier innovation with non-profit practice

Join the lunch event, "Bridging frontier innovation with non-profit practice," organized by International Health Charity Association, where entrepreneurs and non-profit leaders share insights on leveraging cutting-edge technology to uplift healthcare and education. Gain fresh perspectives,...

• 

  Chen Changyu

  CEO, International Health Charity Association (IHCA)

• 

  Zhang Min

  Vice dean and Vanke Chair Professor, Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University

• 

  Alex Ng

  President, Tencent Healthcare

• 

  Ken Carswell

  Technical Officer, World Health Organization (WHO)

• 

  Chen Xingjia

  Founder, Ever Care Charity Foundation and International Health Charity Association (IHCA)

• 

  Karina Rios Michel

  Chief Creative & Technology Officer, Girl Effect

• 

  Yang Lan

  Founder and Chairperson, Sun Media Group and Sun Future Art Education Foundation

• 

  Yu Minhong

  Founder and Chairman, New Oriental Education & Technology Group

• 

  Lan Xue

  Distinguished Professor and Dean, Schwarzman College Tsinghua University

See 6 more

12:45 - 13:30

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

What do students learn about artificial intelligence at school?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is not yet explicitly mentioned in the digital education curriculum, but it is already establishing itself as a key object for understanding the contemporary digital world. This workshop explores how classroom activities...

• 

  Frédérique Chessel-Lazzarotto

  Project Coordinator, Center for Learning Sciences (LEARN), EPFL

13:00 - 13:15

 Frontier stage

 In-person

Keynote

Empowering ability through AI-powered assistive technologies

This session will explore how AI is transforming assistive technologies and tools to enhance independence, mobility, and quality of life for people with disabilities. Developed at the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL), these innovations integrate...

• 

  Rory A. Cooper

  Director, Human Engineering Research Laboratories and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Pittsburgh

Robots & Demos

• 

  Kirigami wheelchair

  User-centered kirigami-inspired manual wheelchair, University of Pittsburgh

See 1 more

13:00 - 13:45

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

AI in practice: How to develop AI models that teach you various folks dances of the world?

Create your own AI model that can control Dancing Robots. Participants will train a model using motion data (body postures, face mesh and hand pose), then run it directly on the Tweak Robot. The dances...

13:00 - 13:50

 Leaders lounge

 In-person

The flight of creative process: Erland Cooper on birds, memory, value and music in an age of AI

In this conversation, Scottish composer Erland Cooper joins Pascale Davies, multimedia journalist at Euractiv, for a lyrical and thought-provoking exploration of creativity, technology, and the natural world. Known for his immersive and often experimental compositions...

• 

  Erland Cooper

  Emmy nominated, Scottish composer, producer & multi-instrumentalist

• Moderator

  Pascale Davies

  Tech Reporter, Euronews

13:15 - 13:35

 Frontier stage

 In-person

Keynote

Agents of change: A 7 year old’s lens on Generation AI for good

Imagine a world where advanced bionic solutions are not a luxury but a lifeline available to anyone, anywhere. In this keynote, a 7-year-old technologist, global AI author, and Asia’s youngest TEDx speaker takes the stage...

• 

  Ranvir Sachdeva

  Technologist (AI), a global author, and a TEDx speaker, Technology Ambassador, ECB Sustainable Youth, City One Initiative and Chakra Dialogues Foundation.

Robots & Demos

• 

  KalArm

  India’s first bionic hand, Makers Hive

See 1 more

13:30 - 14:30

 Solutions stage

 In-person

Panel

Navigating AI governance in Africa: Shared experiences in policy development

This interactive session brings together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners who have been at the forefront of developing AI strategies across African nations. As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms economies and societies globally, many developing countries are...

13:30 - 14:30

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

Discover educational tools with AI

The Testbed program offers Swiss public schools in cycles 1-3 the opportunity to test and evaluate digital tools free of charge and without obligation. To date, we offer 16 tools (catalog available here: https://www.edtech-collider.ch/testbed/#tests), and we...

• 

  Sophia Reyes Mury

  Program Manager, Swiss EdTech Collider

13:35 - 13:50

 Frontier stage

 In-person

Keynote

Homo Cyberneticus: Neural embodiment of artificial limbs

To successfully design devices for the human body, engineers often view the body itself as the ideal design template. Similarly, for individuals missing a limb, the development of artificial prosthetic limbs often centres on embodiment...

• 

  Tamar Makin

  Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Cambridge

13:50 - 14:05

 Frontier stage

 In-person

Keynote

The third thumb: Rethinking human dexterity

Dani Clode, augmentation designer, explores how wearable technology can move beyond restoration, toward extension, adaptability, and new expressions of the human body. Her work challenges conventional boundaries between prosthetics, tools, and the body, proposing augmentation...

• 

  Dani Clode

  Head Designer & Senior Technical Specialist, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge

Robots & Demos

• 

  The Third Thumb

  A 3D-printed extra thumb that enhances hand function, Dani Clode Design & Cambridge University

See 1 more

14:00 - 15:00

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Panel

Beyond human: AI, superhumans, and the quest for limitless performance & longevity

• 

  Tilly Lockey

  User, Open Bionics

• 

  David Sinclair

  Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University

• 

  Alex Zhavoronkov

  Founder & CEO, Insilico Medicine

• Moderator

  LJ Rich

  Inventor/Musician and International Broadcaster, Perfect Pitch Productions

See 1 more

14:00 - 17:15

 Room R

 In-person

Workshop

The role of GeoAI and Foundational Models in shaping an AI-driven future for all

As the global community works to solve global challenges, innovative geospatial solutions are increasingly recognized as essential tools for addressing complex societal challenges. This workshop will focus on the transformative potential of GeoAI and foundational...

• 

  Gianfranco Basile

  Master Thesis Student, IBM Research – Europe

• 

  Michele Melchiorri

  Project Officer, European Commission Joint Research Centre

• 

  Ravi Shankar Santhana Gopala Krishnan

  Head, WHO GIS Centre for Health, Department of Delivery for Impact, World Health Organization (WHO)

• 

  David Botha

  Counsellor, Study Group 3 ITU-R, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Ingrid Vanden Berghe

  General administrator, National Geographic Institute

• 

  Valerio Marsocci

  Internal Research Fellow, Φ-lab, European Space Agency (ESA)

• 

  Sabrina Ricci

  AI Ecosystem Coordinator, Φ-lab, European Space Agency (ESA)

• 

  Lorenzo Nava

  Research Associate in Multihazard Remote Sensing, University of Cambridge

• 

  Michael Gould

  Global Education Manager, Esri

• 

  Yifang Ban

  Professor and Director of the Division of Geoinformatics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology

• 

  Tiziana Bonapace

  Director ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP)

• 

  Céline Rozenblat

  Professor of Urban Geography, University of Lausanne

• 

  Hamid Mehmood

  Head of the UN-SPIDER Beijing Office, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)

• 

  Ali Mansourian

  Professor, Lund University

• 

  Songnian Li

  Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University

• 

  Pengyu Hao

  IT Officer, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

• Moderator

  Andrea Manara

  System Analyst/Geospatial Focal Point, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• Moderator

  Maria Antonia Brovelli

  Professor, Politecnico di Milano

See 15 more

14:00 - 17:15

 Room W

 In-person

Workshop

AI futures: Reimagining learning and work in 2035 and beyond

Ready to Imagine the Future, Not Just Predict It? Join this dynamic workshop to explore AI’s transformative impact on learning and work. Engage with experts and explore compelling future scenarios, crowdsourced from students, educators, and...

• 

  Caron Sada

  Faculty Co-Director, Center for Teaching & Learning and Employee Engagement, Paradise Valley Community College

• 

  Angela Long

  Chief Engagement Officer, Tallahassee State College

• 

  Huy Nguyen

  Co-Founder, Solve Community Challenges (SolveCC)

• 

  Jim Murdaugh

  President, Tallahassee State College

• 

  Amy Diaz

  President, GateWay Community College

• 

  Rebecca Corbin

  President & CEO, NACCE

• 

  Gudela Grote

  Professor, ETH Zurich

• 

  Stephanie Camarena

  Founder, Source Transitions

• 

  Sasha Rubel

  Head of Public Policy for Generative AI, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

• 

  Mojdeh Eskandari

  Founder and CEO, Solve Community Challenges (SolveCC)

• Moderator

  Kitrhona Cerri

  Executive Director, TASC Platform

• 

  Frederic Werner

  Chief, Strategy and Operations, AI for Good, TSB, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Kay Firth-Butterfield

  CEO, Good Tech Advisory

• 

  Amir Banifatemi

  Chief Responsible AI Officer, Cognizant

• 

  Stuart Russell

  (*joining remotely) Professor of Computer Science and Director of the Center for Human-Compatible AI, University of California, Berkeley

See 12 more

14:00 - 17:15

 Room T

 In-person

Workshop

Brain – Computer Interfaces: Standards for security and diverse application scenarios

As an interdisciplinary field of artificial intelligence and neuroscience, brain - computer interfaces (BCI) are attracting extensive attention from all sectors of the international community. The theme of this conference focuses on the technical safety...

• 

  Yihan Wang

  Marketing Manager, European Division, iFLYTEK

• 

  Hervé Chneiweiss

  Director, Neuroscience-Paris Seine-lBPS Laboratory ICNRS INSERM, Sorbonne University

• 

  Liyan Liang

  Researcher, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT)

• 

  Dimiter Prodanov

  Associate Professor, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

• 

  Xinyi Gu

  Associate researcher, Beijing Institute of Technology

• Moderator

  Gerwin Schalk

  Professor, Fudan University, Shanghai

• Moderator

  Ryota Kanai

  Founder, Araya, Inc.

• 

  Zhijin Qin

  Associate Professor, Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University

• 

  Yihua Ning

  Founder and CEO, SceneRay

• 

  Xie Songyun

  Full Professor, Northwestern Polytechnical University

• 

  Fabio Babiloni

  Full professor of Physiology, University of Rome “Sapienza”

• Moderator

  Li Wenyu

  Director Intellectual Property and Innovation Development Center, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT)

• 

  Saurabh Bhaskar Shaw 

  Adjunct Research Professor, Western University

• Moderator

  Frederic Werner

  Chief, Strategy and Operations, AI for Good, TSB, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

See 11 more

14:00 - 16:00

 Room Alpha

 In-person

Workshop

Agents of change: Executive briefing on AI innovation for global impact

This high-level executive briefing is designed for senior leaders shaping global agendas. Engage with leadership perspectives, impactful case studies, and interactive roundtable discussions tailored for fostering collaboration. Participants will gain firsthand insight into how pioneering...

• 

  Jivtesh Singh

  Architect - Tech for Social Impact , Microsoft

• 

  Alexandre Pinho

  Global Lead for the United Nations and International Development Sector, Microsoft

• 

  Sameer Chauhan

  Director, United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC)

14:00 - 15:00

 Leaders lounge

 In-person

Panel

Building the future we want: Scaling inclusive AI solutions through collaboration

The prevailing discussions around AI are filled with optimism, showcasing a future of unprecedented opportunities for growth, innovation, and inclusion. But what if this future does not materialize for all? Despite rapid technological advances, billions...

• 

  Matthew Meszaros

  Founder and CEO, Project Ohm

• 

  Lisa Russell

  Emmy-winning filmmaker, AI artist and Founder, ArtsEnvoy.ai

• 

  Melike Yetken Krilla

  Head of International Organizations, Google

• 

  Brandon Andrews

  Co-Founder, Gauge

• 

  Zhiping Chen

  Vice President, ZTE Corporation

• 

  Tomas Lamanauskas

  Deputy Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Chris Sharrock

  Vice President, UN Affairs and International Organisations, Microsoft

• 

  Kseniia Fontaine

  Senior Business Development and Operations Manager, AI for Good, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• Moderator

  Pascale Davies

  Tech Reporter, Euronews

• 

  Sasha Rubel

  Head of Public Policy for Generative AI, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

• 

  Tim Unwin

  Catalyst, Emeritus Professor, ICT4D Collective

See 8 more

14:00 - 14:45

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

How do computers work? (with Turing Tumble)

Experience how computers function without screens or code using Turing Tumble, a mechanical computer powered by marbles. Participants will solve logic puzzles, explore how circuits and logic gates operate, and build a deeper understanding of...

14:00 - 15:30

 Youth zone

 In-person

Workshop

Invisibility cloak: Foundations of computer vision

The Invisibility Cloak Workshop is a hands-on, beginner-friendly introduction to computer vision, a fundamental area of artificial intelligence and robotics. This workshop uses green screen technology and is designed to make advanced tech topics fun,...

• 

  Melanie Jetter

  Environmental Health Scientist, Massachusetts United States

• 

  Michelle Warren

  Engineer, Georgia Power

• 

  Leigh Levinson

  PhD Candidate, Indiana University Bloomington

• 

  Nia Jetter

  Founder and CEO, thinqueBytes®

See 1 more

14:05 - 14:25

 Frontier stage

 In-person

Keynote

Towards the industrial application of LLM: Selection and enhancement of foundation models

This report presents the advancements made by China Unicom in addressing real-world challenges during the industry-wide implementation of large models, including the establishment of a quantitative benchmark for model capability boundaries to resolve the model-selection...

• 

  Wang Kai

  Vice Manager, China Unicom Data Intelligence Co., Ltd

14:15 - 17:15

 Room Beta

 In-person

Workshop

Global AI convergence: Innovative practices for a shared sustainable future

In order to pool global wisdom and explore technological development and international cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), the China Branch of the BRICS Institute of Future Networks (BIFNC) will host the seminar titled “Converging Global...

• 

  Duan Dongsheng

  CEO, Hangzhou Jianmo Technology Co., Ltd.

• 

  Muhammad Ba

• 

  Hei Bohan

  Project assistant, China Branch of the BRICS Institute of Future Networks (BIFNC)

• 

  Zhu Wanyu

  International Cooperation Department Director, China Branch of the BRICS Institute of Future Networks (BIFNC)

• 

  Fan Wei

  Head of AI Group Products, China Branch of the BRICS Institute of Future Networks (BIFNC)

• 

  Zhang Kun

  Senior Manager, China Branch of the BRICS Institute of Future Networks (BIFNC)

• 
  

• 5:20 - 15:40

   Solutions stage

   In-person

  AI for healthcare, AI for humanity

  AI is creating real, measurable demand in the healthcare sector, turning inclusive technology from vision into reality. Delivering healthcare requires a sophisticated integration of expertise and resources, and it directly affects millions of lives. However,...

  • 

    Zhiping Chen

    Vice President, ZTE Corporation

  
  
• 
  
• 

  Li Jichao

  Director, AI Task Office, China Branch of the BRICS Institute of Future Networks (BIFNC)

• 

  Lin Zhen

  Director, International Cooperation Department, China Branch of the BRICS Institute of Future Networks (BIFNC)

• 

  Fan Fu

  Large Model Algorithm Director,

• 
  

• 
  

•  vivo AI Global Research Institute

• 

  Naying Hu

  Senior Business Executive of AI Institute, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT)

• 

  Yonggang Luo

  Chief Engineer, Chongqing Changan Automobile

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 

  James Agajo

  Professor, Federal University of Technology Minna Nigeria

• 

  Bilel Jamoussi

  Deputy Director of TSB & Chief, Study Groups & Policy Department (SPD), International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Song Jie

  PhD candidate, University of Geneva

See 11 mor

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Lam Kwok Yan

Professor of Computer Science, College of Computing and Data Science, Nanyang Technological University Singapore

15:40 - 16:00

 Solutions stage

 In-person

Keynote

• 

  Ling Zhang

  Senior Technical Expert and Lead of Multi-Cancer Screening Technology, Alibaba DAMO

•  Academy Medical AI Lab

16:05 - 16:20

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Keynote

From learner to leader: A real story of success in the AI Skills Coalition

As we advance AI development, there is a large number of the world's population who do not have access to the internet. This session talks about the importance of AI inclusion, how it affects human...

• 

  Tsetsegbadam Purevsuren

  Program manager, GirlsCode

• 

  Naranjargal Bold

  Girls Code alumni | Software engineering student, Sungkyunkwan University

• 

  Bolor-Erdene Battsengel

  CEO, AI Academy Asia

09:00 - 17:15

 Room U

 In-person

Workshop

AI and Machine Learning in communication networks

This workshop marks the 3rd edition of the MLComm series, continuing the exploration of AI/ML in modern communication networks. As networks evolve towards IMT-2030 (6G), AI/ML is transforming telecom architectures, enabling distributed intelligence, AI-native operations,...

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  Shota Ono

  Research Associate, The University of Tokyo

• 

  Sebastian Cammerer

  Senior Research Scientist, NVIDIA

• 

  Riccardo Trivisonno

  Head of Network Architecture, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

• Moderator

  Marco Carugi

  Senior Consultant, Advanced ICTs and Standardization, Huawei Technologies

• 

  Buse Bilgin

  Next Generation R&D Engineer, Turkcell

• 
  
• 
  
• 

  Jose M. Alcaraz Calero

  Professor, Aston University, UK

• 

  Qi Wang

  Professor, University of Leicester

• 

  Nada Golmie

  NIST Fellow, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

• 

  Nicola Piovesan

  Senior Researcher, Huawei

• 

  Antonio De Domenico

  Principal Engineer, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

• 

  Gyu Myoung Lee

  Professor, Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU)

• 

  Liya Yuan

  Open Source & Standardization Engineer , ZTE

• 

  Francesc Wilhelmi

  Professor, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)

• Moderator

  Vishnu Ram OV

  Independent Research Consultant, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

• 

  Chih-Lin I

  China Mobile Chief Scientist, Wireless Technologies, China Mobile Research Institute

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Ya-Qin Zhang

Dr. Ya-Qin Zhang is Chair Professor of AI Science at Tsinghua University, and Dean of Institute for AI Industry Research of Tsinghua University (AIR). He was the President of Baidu Inc. from 2014 to 2019. Prior to Baidu, Dr. Zhang was a Microsoft executive for 16 years with different key positions, including Managing Director of Microsoft Research Asia, Chairman of Microsoft China, and Corporate Vice President and Chairman of Microsoft Asia R&D.

Dr. Zhang was elected to the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAA&S), the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE), the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), and the Euro-Asia Academy of Sciences. He is a Fellow of IEEE and CAAI. He is one of the top scientists and technologists in digital video and AI, with over 500 papers, 60 granted US patents, and 11 books. His original research has become the basis for start-up ventures, new products, and international standards in digital video, cloud computing, and autonomous driving.

He serves on the Board of Directors of four public companies. He is on the industry board of United Nation Development Program (UNDP), and AI global council of the Davos World Economic Forum. He is the Chairman of world’s largest open autonomous driving platform “Apollo” alliance with over 200 global partners. He has been an active speaker in global forums including APEC, Davos, United Nations, and Bo’Ao Asia Forum.

• Organization

  Tsinghua University
• Profession

  Chair Professor

Related sessions

In person

10 July 2025

•

12:15 - 14:15

AI Governance Dialogue roundtable lunch

11:25 - 11:45

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Keynote

Computing and AI: Endless frontier and exploration

• 

  Wang Jian

  Director, Zhejiang Lab

6:10 - 16:30

 Centre stage

 Online & In-person

Panel

Challenging the status quo of AI security

• 

  Xiaofang Yang

  LLM Security Director, Ant Group

• 

  Debora Comparin

  Standardization Expert, Thales Digital Identity & Security

• 

  Babak Hodjat

  Chief Technology Officer AI, Cognizant

• Moderator

  Bilel Jamoussi

  Deputy Director of TSB & Chief, Study Groups & Policy Department (SPD), International

• 
  

•  Telecommunication Union (IT