Business & Money | Tuesday 8 May, 2018 12:41 am |

The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the annual BCG Middle East CEO Forums, hosted an invitation-only event, which brought together global and regional speakers and leaders, on May 3, 2018. BCG hosts its annual forum with the overall objective of encouraging discourse to drive the agenda forward, and 2018’s forums saw internationally renowned speakers discussed the most pressing issues related to artificial intelligence (AI), enabling attendees to discover new pools of value and competitive advantage for their businesses. The event was held at Palazzo Versace Dubai, UAE and CEOs from a variety of industries attended. During the event a number of topics related to AI including the evolution from programming to learning, humanizing AI to create a better future and the new role of management with AI, were discussed. 

 

“We are witnessing increasing commitment from GCC governments and corporations when it comes to bringing AI to the mainstream. The launch of the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence is the first of its kind in the world and will address a variety of future services, sectors and infrastructure projects. For UAE businesses, the adoption of AI offers a unique opportunity to radically enhance their competitive advantage through new offerings, sharper value propositions, and more efficient processes,” said Joerg Hildebrandt, Senior Partner & Managing Director at BCG Middle East. “While companies are expecting a lot from AI, few are actually using it. Our event aimed to demystify the technology and demonstrating its tangible benefits for organizations.” 

 

The Forum welcomed esteemed speakers from across the globe who shared their knowledge, expertise and thoughts around AI. Attendees of the Forum also received a live-demonstration of a humanized AI-personality, where the audience interacted with a digital human named Rachel. The live-demonstration gave the guests a first-hand experience of what the future of AI will bring to the world.  These speakers included Jean-Philippe Desbiolles, Vice President at IBM Watson Group; Greg Cross, Artificial Intelligence Pioneer & Chief Business Officer at Soul Machines; Philip Evans, Senior Advisor and BCG Fellow at The Boston Consulting Group; Dr. Yves Morieux, Director of the BCG Institute for Organizationat The Boston Consulting Group; and Bjoern Ewers, Partner and Managing Director at The Boston Consulting Group. 

 

“AI is not some complex and mysterious tool, it is a very real technology that can enhance your business. Participating in this leadership event was incredibly insightful; the GCC as a whole is considering AI as part of its government strategies, and businesses in the region are very keen to adopt this new technology; the CEO Forum demonstrated ways to make AI work in the business environment,” said Dr. Yves Morieux, Director of the BCG Institute for Organization.