Global Technology Summit Innovation Dialogue 2024

Carnegie India is co-hosting the inaugural Global Technology Summit (GTS) Innovation Dialogue with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, on October 8 & 9, 2024, in Bengaluru.

This dialogue marks a significant expansion of our engagement with thriving technology ecosystems that exist outside Delhi. It will convene tech-focused discussions on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), focusing on how these technologies can promote inclusive growth, improve governance, support sustainable development, and forge international partnerships.

The GTS Innovation Dialogue will bring together government officials, industry experts (product, policy, and engineering teams), startup community, venture capitalists, legal researchers, academics, and more.

During the two-day event, the dialogue will feature both closed-door and public sessions. The invite-only closed-door discussions will allow in-depth conversations and collaborative problem-solving around key issues such as global adoption of DPIs, private sector innovation on top of DPIs, and approaches to AI safety. The format will include workshops and roundtable discussions, providing participants with an opportunity to engage directly with peers and experts in a focused and confidential environment.

In addition to these exclusive sessions, the dialogue will also feature public sessions on October 9, designed to extend the conversation to a wider audience. Attendees will have the chance to engage with leading experts and thought leaders as they discuss topics such as the role of DPIs in fostering inclusive growth, acceleration of innovation through DPI, and the evolving landscape of open-source AI and AI regulation.

Agenda :

This is a working agenda. Please keep checking the website to view any changes to the draft agenda. The agenda will only be finalized closer to the date.

3:30 pm- 4:30 pm:  Registrations

4:30 pm-4:35 pm: Opening Remarks

• Speaker: Rudra Chaudhuri, Director, Carnegie India

4:35 PM - 4:40 PM: Welcome Remarks

4:40 PM - 4:50 PM: Keynote Address

4:50 PM - 5:10 PM: Conversation: India’s Technology Story

Applications of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, space innovation, semiconductors, and digital public infrastructure have become critical for India’s economic development and broader welfare objectives. This conversation will explore and analyze India’s tech story which drives innovation, fosters international partnerships, and positions India as a technology-hub in the current geo-digital age.

Moderator:

• Shankar Maruwada, CEO and Co-Founder, EkStep Foundation

5:10 pm-5:20 pm:  Keynote Address

5:20 pm-6:00 pm:  Panel: Technology and Diplomacy: The Future of Tech Partnerships

Speakers:

• Murenzi Daniel, Principal Information Technology Officer, East African Community 
• Catherine Latham, Senior Fellow, Technology Policy Design Centre, Australian National University

Moderator:

• Rudra Chaudhuri, Director, Carnegie India

6:00 pm-6:10 pm:  Video Message

• Speaker: Periasamy Kumaran, Special Secretary (ER & DPA), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India

6:10 pm-6:25 pm:  Keynote Address 

• Speaker: Pramod Varma, Co-chair, Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure

6:25 pm-7:10 pm:  Panel: Global Perspectives on Digital Transformation

Many countries, particularly in the Global South, develop products and technologies aimed at fostering inclusive growth, enhancing governance, and advancing sustainable development. Some of these efforts are officially recognized as Digital Public Infrastructures (DPIs), while others, though not formally categorized as such, share similar goals and are at various stages of progress. This panel aims to explore the key distinctions between broad digitization and DPIs, address the global challenges faced by DPI projects, and identify the factors that contribute to or hinder their long-term success worldwide.

Speakers:

• Hilda Mwakatmubula, Digital Transformation Advisor to the East African Community
• Noureddine Boutayeb, President, The Moroccan Foundation for the Promotion of Pre-School Education

Moderator:

• Kamya Chandra,Chief Strategy Officer, Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure

7:10 pm-8:00 pm: Panel: Open-Source AI for Global South 

Open-source AI holds the promise of democratizing access to AI technology, driving faster innovation, and fostering greater transparency and accountability. By using open-source AI models, developers, companies, and governments handling sensitive information can retain better control over their data, as these models can be deployed on local systems, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and security of proprietary or personal data. This panel will delve into the crucial intersection of open-source AI and responsible governance, focusing on creating innovative policy solutions to address the distinct challenges and opportunities it presents for the Global South. Additionally, it will explore how open-source AI can promote transparency, accountability, and fairness in AI-driven decision-making.

Speakers:

• Melinda Claybaugh, Director of Privacy Policy, Meta
• Tanuj Bhojwani, Head, People+AI (TBC)/Representative from Sarvam AI
• Jun-E-Tan, Senior Research Associate, Khazanah Research Institute

Moderator:

• Rahul Matthan, Partner, Trilegal

8:00 pm-8:05 pm: Closing Remarks

8:00 pm onwards: Dinner