What will the "new" Cebit be like? A bit of color, lots of English buzzwords from the startup industry, and music to go with it – will this turn the IT trade fair into a festival? Will the fair succeed in attracting visitors and retaining exhibitors? Munich Startup has already taken a look around before the official start of the fair.
Cebit, originally a spin-off of the Hannover Messe Industrie (HMI) as the "Center for Office and Information Technology," has attracted steadily increasing numbers of visitors since 1986. However, somehow, at some point, the trade fair lost its momentum. Groundbreaking innovations were presented at other conferences. Therefore, starting this year, everything will be different.
The trade fair aims to appeal to young companies, retain technology leaders, and attract new visitors. In 2018, there will be a drone battle, more startup pitches than before, a fuck-up night, business speed dating, and much more. What may be new formats for long-time trade fair visitors has long been routine for the startup scene. What would also be bold: if the 'smart mobility' solutions could actually be experienced as a real outdoor test field. If service robots were used as additional information points. If what is discussed in the conference area on the so-called "Take Off Monday" were actually put into practice.
And if you think that’s too much criticism:
“The critic is the true optimist,”
so Jaron Lanier, Keynote speaker and VR icon, who has been a guest at Cebit since the 1980s. He argues that pessimists and those who point out what could be done better can ultimately make the world a better place with their ideas.
”AI-driven mind control machine”
Lanier's talk is surprising for a technology trade fair. He discusses the dark side of technology, particularly the "behavior manipulation and mass mind control" of individual companies like Google and Facebook. When asked how bad things could get, he responds with comparisons to the fascists' rise to power in World War II and the mafia's extortion rackets.
“I find it terrifying and humiliating […] that our very best intentions turned into the worst version.”
says Lanier. As unexpected as his keynote topic may be, his presentation can inspire those developing innovative technologies to take a closer look. Which business model should be chosen? How can society transform for the better through innovation and sustainably benefit from new technologies? How can common approaches be found instead of isolated solutions and silo thinking?
Cebit: Joint solutions instead of silo thinking?
Because, as the first glance into the exhibition halls shows, Cebit is a trade fair where outstanding innovations are presented (more about this in our next reportHowever, whether it's autonomous driving, humanoid robotics, IT security, or AI solutions, countless companies around the world are working on the same topics in parallel. This can lead to the creation of better products through competitive pressure. But it's also worth considering joining forces and working together on revolutionary discoveries.
Cebit may be able to contribute to this with its new, more open festival character. Whether this will actually work remains to be seen, as the trade fair doesn't officially open until tomorrow. (Read more about Cebit in our opening report).
