Over the past few days, Athens has firmly established itself as a global hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) as it hosted the second GenAI Southeastern Europe Summit. The event saw a staggering 3,000 attendees flock to the Eugenides Foundation, eager to gain insights from over 100 speakers and panelists on the challenges and opportunities presented by generative AI.
Generative AI, a branch of AI that focuses on creating text, images, and other data using generative models, has grown exponentially in recent years. In fact, according to Statista, 70% of businesses are projected to adopt GenAI into their workflows by 2024. This technology has the potential to transform organizations and society as a whole, opening up a world of possibilities.
One of the attendees, Alexandros Papacharalampous, CEO and CTO of AETHON Engineering, highlighted the importance of events like the GenAI Summit in staying up to date with the newest technologies. His firm specializes in RDI projects in the fields of Smart Cities, Mobility, Energy, and Logistics, and he is particularly interested in how AI can improve and digitize transportation networks. “Our vision is to make it easier for people to get on board mass transportation using technology,” he explained.
The summit spanned three days, each dedicated to exploring a different aspect of generative AI’s potential. The first day focused on uncovering the capabilities of generative AI and its transformative impact across sectors such as public policy, legal, consulting, and finance. On the second day, discussions revolved around how generative AI can inspire creativity and innovation in industries such as product development, healthcare, food/nutrition, and fashion. The final day delved into generative AI’s role in education, marketing, and customer experience, highlighting how it enhances communication, creativity, and collaboration.
The event boasted an impressive lineup of industry experts, including Minister of Digital Governance Dimitris Papastergiou, Dr. Marily Nika, AI Product Lead at Google and Founder of AI Product Academy, Nikos Moraitakis, CEO of Workable, Anthony S. Papadimitriou, President of the Onassis Foundation, and Kostas Kontogiannis, CFO at Skroutz. These esteemed individuals shared their knowledge and insights, adding depth and credibility to the discussions.
The atmosphere at the summit was electric, with attendees and speakers alike expressing their enthusiasm for the potential of generative AI. Aleksandar Preradovic, Managing Director and Chairman of Dell Technologies for Greece, Cyprus, and Malta, emphasized the importance of understanding the goals of the young generation and bridging the gap with the mature generation. By doing so, he believes that we can collectively build something even greater and more impactful.
As Athens solidified its position as a global focal point for AI, participants left the GenAI Summit armed with newfound knowledge and inspiration. The transformative power of generative AI is unrivaled, and its potential to revolutionize industries and society as a whole cannot be underestimated. With 2024 just around the corner, it’s only a matter of time before generative AI becomes a fundamental part of our workflows.
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