As the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos approaches, we can learn about numerous sessions that may spark interest among Chief Information Security Officers and cyber strategists.
In an era when cyber threats are growing, it is crucial to stay ahead in cybersecurity. As Chief Information Security Officers and cyber strategists work hard to strengthen their defenses against more complex cyberattacks, the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) annual meetings become essential for sharing insights and new ideas.
Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum
The 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), set to take place from January 15 to January 19 in Davos, Switzerland, will gather a diverse group of participants, including government representatives, international organizations, and industry leaders. Centered around the theme “Rebuilding Trust,” the discussions will focus on vital principles for trust-building, such as transparency, consistency, and accountability.
For those interested in the sessions, there are several ways to engage:
WEF digital membership. By taking advantage of the WEF Digital Membership, you can access a comprehensive knowledge base, including articles, reports, podcasts, and intelligence briefings, which are crucial when assessing external factors that impact your cyber strategy. This membership also allows you to watch live broadcasts and recordings of selected sessions held during the WEF annual meeting. This year, the sessions will explore a range of topics, from the future of cybersecurity as detailed in the Cybersecurity Futures 2030 report to issues surrounding artificial intelligence, building trust around technology, and the cybersecurity of smart cities.
Open Forum. Additionally, the Open Forum offers extra sessions open to the public, focusing on sharing insights, experiences, and stories on pressing issues. Sessions like “Primer on AI” and “Cracking the Code: Navigating Cybersecurity” can be especially useful for cyber strategists.
Other opportunities. Beyond these structured programs, the WEF Annual Meeting can be experienced through various digital mediums. You can stay updated through social media channels, dedicated news feeds on select platforms, and podcast series like Radio Davos or Meet the Leader. These platforms offer a dynamic way to follow the meetings’ events, discussions, and developments. For a comprehensive overview of these digital engagement opportunities, visit How to Follow the Annual Meeting 2024.
Supporting Events
During the WEF annual meeting, Davos becomes a vibrant hub of activities. Many other organizations set up additional events to connect with their communities and foster meaningful dialogue. Here is a list of organizations present in Davos this year, offering topics likely to interest you as a cyber strategist. The list is in alphabetical order and may not be exhaustive:
Accenture. Accenture at WEF in 2024 will focus on topics related to Generative AI as a key driver for business reinvention. They aim to assist leaders like you in defining the next steps for scaling generative AI across organizations and value chains. Their website features several reports on the topic, such as “Total Enterprise Reinvention: Setting a new performance frontier,” “AI for everyone,” and “Accenture Pulse of Change,” which could be particularly insightful for understanding the overall market and technology landscape from your perspective.
AI House. AI House is an initiative led by organizations such as Merantix, ETH AI Center, Swisscom, Institute for AI and Beyond, G42, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. At AI House in Davos, 21 partners will spend five days discussing the state of AI, opportunities and risks associated with AI, applications of AI, and how AI can revolutionize existing business structures. These discussions, featuring panels, roundtables, and various other formats, will touch on crucial aspects such as trust, risks, and the secure adoption of AI capabilities. The full meeting agenda is available on their website, where you can sign up for intriguing sessions.
Axios. Axios is set to convene global leaders from public and private sectors for compelling conversations and networking opportunities at their Axios House Davos event. This event will feature thematic sessions organized by various companies, discussing artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and cybersecurity topics. On their website, you can view the complete agenda and register for the most relevant events.
Deloitte. Deloitte will be hosting a Deloitte Haus on the Davos Promenade, aiming to connect with leaders, speakers, and innovative solutions that align with the WEF Annual Meeting’s theme of Rebuilding Trust. The topics they plan to present, such as mitigating global financial crime, executing trustworthy AI, and embarking on a generative AI transformation journey, are accessible via broadcasts. You can register for these sessions through the Deloitte website.
HCLTech. HCLTech promises a series of thought-provoking conversations over three days in Davos, focusing on disruptive technologies. Sessions that might interest you include “Banking on trust through transformative tech” and “Tech-led disruption, opportunities and impact.”
WiseKey. On January 17, WiseKey is organizing an event to convene a diverse panel of experts, including AI researchers, technologists, and policymakers. They will discuss strategies for the secure adoption of AI capabilities, focusing on AI safety protocols and the implications of decentralized AI systems on privacy and control.
Below is a curated list of sessions that could be interesting for CISOs and cyber strategists, offering a good source of insights on recent technology advancements, associated risks, and potential solutions. The list only covers some sessions, and the agendas may change. To ensure you have the most current information before attending a selected meeting, please refer to the websites of the respective session organizers. Also, note that most of these events require signing up on their websites.
15.01.2024: Monday
Axios' Building Better AI with Better Data
Axios session will focus on the quality of the data in AI development and risks related to misinformation and biased results. The session participants will discuss how to build AI better and minimize the impact of associated risks.
AI – The Ultimate Invention
Join AI House as they explore AI’s transformative journey. This panel will be particularly beneficial for you in understanding the ethical development of AI and how it impacts cybersecurity practices.
16.01.2024: Tuesday
Launch of a Pilot Gen AI Redteaming network
The session is organized as part of the Swiss Call for Trust & Transparency, a joint initiative of the Swiss Foreign Ministry and ETH AI Center focusing on AI safety testing and risk management. The panelists will discuss topics related to AI safety, including red teaming, the development of standardized AI testing protocols and mitigation strategies.
Horizon Scan: Moving Past the Frontiers of AI
Please refer to the WEF site for event details.
Banking on Trust Through Transformative Tech
HCL Tech’s discussion on ethical AI and data integrity in financial services will highlight the balance between innovation and security. It will cover the topics of AI and issues related to bias, privacy, and intellectual property rights.
AI Safety Unplugged: Navigating the Risks Without the Hype
AI House will shed light on redefining AI’s risk landscape, focusing on practical measures for safe AI integration. This session will be key for cyber strategists in crafting secure AI frameworks.
Axios' AI and the Digital Transformation
Panelists will discuss generative AI’s impact on business digital transformation, including its benefits and hidden costs.
Tech-led disruption, opportunities and impact
Explore disruptive technologies like GenAI, digital twins, and edge computing. This session will be key for you in understanding the changes to prepare for in the technology landscape.
AI & Trust
AI House will explore the issue of trust in generative AI and ways of ensuring confidence in organizations using AI solutions in their value chain. The topics will cover data selection, training methods and protection framework.
Axios' Cybersecurity for the Other 90%
Axios session plans to bring to light the cybersecurity challenges of small and medium-sized businesses, including the most frequent threats, challenges in building robust cyber capabilities, and how small businesses can work together to protect their organizations.
17.01.2024: Wednesday
Now Decides Next: The Generative AI Transformation Journey
Deloitte’s insights from their Gen AI survey will focus on the implications of AI on business strategy, workforce dynamics, skills development and trust-building. It can be a helpful session for cyber strategists to understand the broader impact of Gen AI.
Decentralization "AI Unleashed": Ensuring Safety and Leveraging Decentralization
WISeKey’s session will focus on decentralized AI frameworks. The discussions will revolve around ethical considerations, AI safety protocols, and the effects of decentralized AI systems on privacy and control.
Open Forum: A Primer on AI
This is one of the interesting sessions available for a public audience. During this session, WEF will explore AI opportunities, risks and the solutions to mitigate these risks.
Executing Trustworthy AI
Deloitte’s discussion on AI ethics and trust will explore how GenAI leaders maintain trust in artificial intelligence solutions.
18.01.2024: Thursday
Open Forum: Cracking the Code
This is the second WEF session open to the public, which is also interesting for cyber security professionals. The session will cover the insights from the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2023 and try to answer how to foster innovation and global cooperation to combat emerging cyber risks.
Transparency in AI
AI House’s session on AI transparency will tackle issues related to the clarity of the data used in model training, concerns of copyright and bias, and ways to promote AI explainability and transparency.
19.01.2024: Friday
Quantum Machine Learning
This session will focus on synergies and future directions of artificial intelligence and quantum machine learning. This session may be useful to understand what awaits us regarding cyber security implications.
The insights gained from the sessions at the WEF Annual Meeting, along with related events in Davos, are invaluable for preparing us to meet future technological challenges. They offer more than just a glimpse into the future of the technology landscape. They also provide ideas about cybersecurity implications that can help us to develop effective and forward-looking cybersecurity strategies.
If you encounter other events or sessions in Davos that could benefit CISOs or cyber strategists, we encourage you to share these with us. We will be happy to update our selection.
