A captivating keynote launched IP EXPO Europe yesterday for its 13th year today, as renowned astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield shared his unique experience of space travel and considerations for the next leap for mankind. Hadfield, the former Commander of the International Space Station, spoke in front of a packed crowd about the human element of space travel: the teamwork and collaboration that is required to make an off-world team function. From the future of space to the future of technology, day one of IP EXPO Europe also saw popular sessions from several academics focusing on AI. British mathematician Dr Hannah Fry, explored the power of data and algorithms that can be used for the social good in our world today, examining whether machines are really an improvement on the humans they are said to replace. Dr Greg Benson, professor at the University of San Francisco and chief scientist at Snap Logic, drew on his dual responsibilities as the basis of his speech, to explore the importance of collaboration between industry and academic perspective for AI development.

LONDON – 14 September 2016 – New research commissioned by IP EXPO Europe, Europe's number one enterprise IT event, shows that although 37% of respondents think that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be a main technology theme for enterprises in 2017, there are mixed signals in terms of business application, investment levels and impact on society from UK IT decision makers (ITDMs). The results reveal that a significant 32% of respondents claim they are concerned about AI replacing human jobs overall, with 19% admitting that they are more worried about their own job being overtaken by a robot than they were 12 months ago. In addition, there is a clear perceived risk factor, with almost a third worried about the unknown impacts of increased AI. 22% of respondents also voiced concerns about AI providing another route for cyber security attacks. Interestingly, 1 in 10 UK ITDMs thought that no form of artificial intelligence was of value to business. However, the results also indicate that any hesitancy in uptake perhaps comes from a lack of immediately recognised business/organisational applications and perceived cost.