Innovation is of vital importance and a critical asset in the Digital Age as technology advances at a rapid pace and interactions between humans and machines further deepen. As a matter of fact, AI, machine learning, deep learning and automation are no longer future technologies, they’ve already found their way into our daily lives and are becoming a major disruptive force in a growing number of sectors, from healthcare to modern education and from the automotive sector to retail and security. At the same time, the term “innovation” remains fuzzy and can be confusing, in particular when it comes to making targeted innovation policy in globalised world.
The opportunities and challenges emerging from these phenomena impact us all and are both complex and immense. How can innovators find the balance between being positive drivers for efficiency, cost reduction and progress, while addressing ethical issues such as the potential of automation technology to lead to job loss?And what is the role of foreign policy in shaping the future trajectory of technology developments?
Join YPFP for a stimulating discussion with Ulf Ehlert, Secretary of the NATO Science & Technology Board and Olivia-Kelly Lonkeu, Senior Advisor at PwC's consulting practice, where we will demystify some of the buzz about innovation, explore how artificial intelligence and machine learning impact our community and the future of work, and discuss how policy makers can influence innovation.
Ulf Ehlert has been working for NATO for over 13 years. He is currently Secretary of the NATO Science & Technology Board. His interests lie in policy discussions on the intersection of technology, business, and society. Before joining NATO, Ulf Ehlert worked as a research engineering at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). Ulf Ehlert holds a PhD in aeronautical engineering.
Olivia-Kelly Lonkeu is a senior advisor at PwC's consulting practice dedicated to European institutions. Since joining PwC, she has carried out policy and financial analyses in these fields for several assignments of the European Commission and the European Investment Bank, such as the EU Digital Entrepreneurship Monitor, the European Investment Advisory Hub, the EU SME Performance Review and the EU Business Innovation Observatory. She holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and Public Policy from Sciences Po Toulouse.