EXPLORING THE EVOLVING DIGITAL FUTURE
To this end, we are making a concerned effort to enrich the dialogue by placing a stronger emphasis on the impact of frontier technology this year. We have accordingly designed six sessions to address these complex and pressing issues:
· AI and the Future of Socio-economic Development
· Globalization and Multipolar Growth
· Fintech and AI
· AI for Business
· AI, Ageing and Redefining the Workforce
· Green AI and Sustainable Development
As an invitation-only event, a distinguished group of scholars, including Nobel-prize winning economists, world's leading scientists, technology experts, LLM practitioners, AI innovators and pioneering entrepreneurs have already confirmed their onsite attendance. Following our tradition of convening the world's best minds and fostering interdisciplinary discussions, we aim to generate cutting-edge insights and find solutions to the challenges facing global society.
Click below to watch all the videos.
Forum I : AI and the Future of Socio-economic Development
Moderator: Long Chen (President of Luohan Academy)
The advent of large language models, populated by GPT, heralds the dawn of humanity's pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI), poised to instigate profound changes, both economically and technologically. This forum will explore three pivotal questions: What are the future directions and boundaries of AI, and how close are we to achieving AGI? What is the economic logic of AI, its impact on the economy, its pace, and boundaries, and how does this impact vary across countries at different development stages? Finally, how will various industries adapt to and embrace AI?
Forum II: Globalization and Multipolar Growth
Moderator: Ginger Zhe Jin (Professor of Economics at Maryland, Former Director of the Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Economics)
The role of globalization as a key driver of world economic growth remains solid, but three emerging factors seem to redefine it. First, the new geopolitical landscape is reshaping the rules and boundaries of globalization. Second, the emerging multipolarity characterized by multipolar growth is becoming increasingly salient. Third, digital technologies, especially AI, are bringing unprecedented new opportunities to globalization. Against this backdrop, changes are occurring in supply chain coordination, international trade, the flow of capital, technology, personnel, the financial system, and the degree of corporate globalization. What, then, are the most important features of global economic growth and globalization in this era? Which aspects will be most affected? How should countries and enterprises embrace this new wave of globalization?
Forum III: Fintech and AI
Moderator: Yi Huang (Professor of Finance at Fudan University)
As an information-based industry, Fintech has long been expected to drive financial innovation. To date, to what extent has Fintech truly transformed the financial system and financial practices? In what areas has it fallen short of expectations? What challenges and limitations does it face? How should we anticipate the future development of Fintech? Can AI become a new engine for financial innovation?
Forum IV: AI for Business
Moderator: Long Chen (President of Luohan Academy)
On one hand, AI is advancing rapidly with staggering progress; on the other hand, the disruptive business innovations that both excite and concern people are not keeping pace. From an industry perspective, which AI technologies have the highest potential for successful commercialization? What are the logic, scope, and pace of AI's impact on industries? From the perspective of users and products, how can we understand the value of AI? What are the current cutting-edge practices in AI business? What are the most important trends and development trajectories of AI?
Forum V: AI, Ageing and Redefining the Workforce
Moderator: Hanming Fang (Professor of Economics at University of Pennsylvania, Fellow of the Econometric Society)
The challenges posed by an ageing population to human society are becoming increasingly severe. On one hand, artificial intelligence offers new hope for addressing these issues; on the other hand, it is redefining the workforce. In this forum, we will first summarize the key characteristics and challenges of an ageing society and evaluate the extent to which AI can mitigate these challenges. We will also explore the latest advancements in AI technologies and business practices aimed at addressing ageing. Next, we will discuss how AI will redefine the workforce, what types of AI-literate workers companies will need in the future, the changes expected in the labor market, and how we can equip workers with the necessary AI skills for the future.
Forum VI: Green AI and Sustainable Development
Moderator: Zhiguo He (James Irvin Miller Professor of Finance at Stanford GSB)
Sustainable development remains a daunting challenge for the global community. Where do we currently stand in our progress toward sustainable development? Are we on the right path toward achieving the goals of reaching peak CO2 emissions by 2030 and attaining carbon neutrality by 2060? What are the key challenges that remain? On one hand, digital technologies, including AI, offer immense potential for enhancing the efficiency of energy use and the circular economy. On the other hand, AI itself is a significant consumer of energy. Would the recent surge in AI technologies and practices alleviate or exacerbate the challenges of sustainable development? What are the latest technological advancements and practices in the digital circular economy, and what are the implications behind? What efforts should society undertake to ensure that the ubiquitous application of AI could be aligned with the goals of sustainable development?
