The start of the three-day DLD Innovation Festival This year's event in Tel Aviv was dedicated to cybertech. While the first topics were discussed on the DLD stage on day 1 – including questions about the future of work, creativity, and innovation – the Cybertech Global exhibition took place in parallel. At the Tel Aviv trade fair, visitors were able to not only meet numerous Israeli startups but also listen to high-profile discussions. Topics included cyber challenges in times of war in Europe and the interplay between law enforcement and cybersecurity.
The presentation by Bryson Payne, a professor at the University of North Georgia and coordinator of the Cyber Program there, aroused particular interest. He demonstrated the hacking of a car. The ensuing discussion demonstrated that in times of smart and emerging self-driving cars, their digital security cannot be neglected.
Further important future topics were discussed the following day. Moving from the fair to the Habima Theater in the heart of the city, the participants were offered a wide range of options. The program developed several focal points across its three stages. The morning focused on food security.
About modified seeds and profit-hungry corporations
The first panel discussed the future of agriculture. The panelists made it clear that the agricultural industry faces a dual challenge. On the one hand, the global population continues to grow, while on the other, advancing climate change is worsening conditions for agriculture. The solutions offered by the panelists were, unsurprisingly, informed by their company portfolios. Salicrop and Better Seeds, two Israeli companies that modify and alter seeds, were on stage. In this way, they increase crop yields and make them less susceptible to pests and less demanding in terms of soil quality and water. But the startups themselves also face challenges. Due to the seasonal nature of agriculture, the go-to-market in this sector is characterized by unusual circumstances, requiring investors with particular patience.
A second panel then addressed the topic FoodtechThe food industry came off extremely badly in this regard. As one of the panel participants explained: The aim of the food industry is not to feed everyone, but to maximize its profits. This leads to the demand for products being increased by adding salt, fat and other substances, which, however, comes at the expense of consumers' health. Their eating habits are responsible for around 70 percent of the most common health problems. Consumers must therefore take more responsibility for their diet and educate themselves accordingly. Alon Chan, on the other hand, at least partially defended the industry. With his company Tastewise Technologies, he supports food companies with market research and assured them that the message has been received and that the industry is working on new products.
The dream of eternal life
The topic Health Other discussions also took place. Under the title "The Future of Digital Health," several founders—almost all former practicing physicians—discussed emerging technologies. Nirit Pilosof brought a unique perspective to the table. A lecturer at the Collar School of Management at Tel Aviv University and a trained architect, she described how rapidly developing new medical solutions are affecting the construction of new hospitals. This can take up to ten years, requiring planning to consider solutions that don't yet exist.
Jose Cordeiro, a physician and director of the Millennium Project think tank, spoke about a completely different challenge. He has already made a name for himself in the field as a propagandist of eternal life, and he also presented his ideas at the DLD in Tel Aviv. He views aging as a disease that must and can be combated. His role models include both "theoretically immortal" cancer cells and certain jellyfish. One "only" needs to decipher the mechanics. This also brings another advantage: since many of the diseases currently being combated by medicine are signs of aging, immortality would relieve the burden on healthcare systems. Current advances in research led him to state that the generation now born no longer has to grow old. However, he refrained from discussing the effects of immortality on society, nutrition, and population growth.
Criticism from artists and a Nobel Prize winner
Other speakers felt responsible for critical words. For example, Nobel Prize winner Dan Shechtman. The discoverer of quasicrystals spoke about the difference between technological evolution and revolution. He also reminded us that every technology can be used for good or bad. Bethany Halbreich, founder of the Paint the World initiative, targeted a very specific technology: the brain-computer interface. For if it became possible to feed knowledge directly into the brain – without the detour of learning, so to speak – how would a society deal with knowledge? Would it be democratized and made accessible to everyone? Or would it become a commodity that is sold? In both cases, according to Halbreich, the bottom line would be that knowledge is no longer power, but creativity.
A look at the quantum future
The "Tech of the Future" panel at the DLD in Tel Aviv also focused heavily on the future. Two groundbreaking technologies were highlighted: Quantum technology and artificial intelligence. And how the two will interact with each other in the future. Niko Mohr of McKinsey began by pointing out that the field of "quantum" encompasses not only quantum computers, but also quantum communication and quantum measurement. And that Europe can only keep up with the US and China in the latter area. Germany, however, plays a special role in this: 50 percent of all funds invested in quantum technology in Europe come from Germany.
Subsequently, various challenges facing the technology, which is destined to be as monumental as fire or the wheel, were discussed. Not only is there a shortage of specialists in the field – there are only around 350,000 university graduates for 800,000 to 900,000 job openings. The performance of existing quantum computers is also still far too low, at least compared to what is theoretically possible. Furthermore, not only is there a lack of a one-stop shop that combines hardware, operating system, and software, but there is also a lack of the corresponding languages. A Python or C++ for quantum does not yet exist. The discussion concluded that in the medium term, quantum computing will be dominated by so-called hybrid systems. These are a combination of a quantum computer and a conventional, albeit extremely powerful, computer that manages and operates it.
The future of AI lies in ontology
In matters artificial intelligence The experts on stage were less than enthusiastic about Chat GPT. They pointed to the underlying problem with the system: The chatbot's training data is based on data from the internet. Therefore, its answers are only as reliable as the network's swarm intelligence. If there is no answer to a question, the bot fails – for example, by lumping together titles of nonexistent works as sources.
What the AI ultimately lacks here is an ontological understanding of the terms it uses. If you ask Chat GPT, for example, how many teaspoons of sugar you can take from a packet until it's empty, the AI knows neither what a teaspoon nor what sugar is. Its answer is based solely on the answers people have previously given to this question online and repeats them. The next level of AI must be able to do this, but it depends on functioning quantum computers. Only they can process the necessary data volumes in an acceptable time.
Following the panel discussions, the DLD spread throughout downtown Tel Aviv on its second day. Numerous bars and clubs hosted presentations and discussions on a wide range of topics before the afterparty. There was a wide range of topics on offer, from fake news to smart cities to the metaverse. A special advantage: participants were able to engage in conversation with the speakers directly afterward.
The Innovation Festival concluded with the unconference on the third day. This concept doesn't have a set program; instead, each participant can present on one of the stages or engage in discussions with others. This allows the audience to decide for themselves which topics they consider important and discuss them.
