The 5G World Summit will be held from 24 until 26 October 2023 in Paris, France.
As part of Network X, the 5G World Summit aims to bring together experts, leaders, and innovators in the telecommunications industry to discuss the latest developments and trends in 5G technology. The key themes of the summit include RAN Evolution, 5G Monetisations, Future Network Technology, Private Networks & Edge, Green Network, and 5G Core.
For more information, please visit the event page.
Africa Tech Festival will be held from 14 until 16 November 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa.
During the three-day festival, there will be two main events with the aim to unite Africa’s tech ecosystem and industry verticals.
The first one is Africom which will focus on topics of Connectivity Infrastructure and Digitial Inclusion with an emphasis on: Connecting Africa’s Next Billion; Digital Infrastructure Investment; Telcos of Tomorrow; Sustainable Development & Green ICT, and Future Visions: Web3, The Metaverse & Beyond, among others.
The second event called Afritech will focus on topics on Entreprise Transformaiton and Emerging Technologies with an emphasis on: AHUB: Africa’s Start-up Scene; AI, IoT & Disruptive Tech, and Cybersecurity & Data Protection, among others.
For more information, please visit the event page.
The International Conference on Web Information Systems and Technologies (WEBIST) will be held from 15 until 17 November 2023 in Rome, Italy.
WEBIST aims to bring together experts including researchers and engineers who are interested in technological advances and business applications of web-based information systems. The conference will have four main focusing on Web Information Systems, namely Internet Technology, Web Intelligence and Semantic Web, Social Network Analytics, HCI in Mobile Systems and Web Interfaces.
For more information, please visit the event page.
The seventh annual Internet of Things (IoT) Tech Expo Global will be held from 30 November until 1 December 2023 in London, UK.
It is one of the 5 co-located events that will take place during these two days, among Cyber Security & Cloud, Blockchain, AI & Big Data, and Digital Transformation. The key topics that will be covered include digital Transformation, Data Analytics, IIoT & Smart Manufacturing, Connected Environments, Developing for the IoT, Process Optimisation, Sensor Deployment, Connectivity Considerations, 5G & Future Connectivity, Security & Standards, Cloud Computing, Autonomous Transportation, and Device & Asset Management, among others.
For more information, please visit the event page.
The World Economic Forum and the Council on the Connected World published the State of the Connected World 2023 report exploring governance gaps related to the internet of things (IoT). The report outlines the findings of a survey conducted with 271 experts worldwide to understand the state of IoT affairs. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased IoT demand in health, manufacturing, and consumer IoT. However, there is a lack of confidence when it comes to matters such as privacy and security.
Two main governance gaps are identified: (1) a lack of governmental regulation and implementation of industry standards and (2) IoT users are more susceptible to cyber threats and cyberattacks.
One recommendation is for businesses and governments to develop and implement practices to improve privacy and security and create a more inclusive and accessible IoT ecosystem. The need to improve equal access to technology and its benefits is also underscored.
The 2023 Federal spending bill includes cybersecurity requirements for IoT medical devices. According to the law, manufacturers of medical IoT devices will be obligated to (1) submit a plan on how to monitor post-market cybersecurity vulnerabilities that includes a coordinated vulnerability disclosure; (2) design and maintain processes and procedures to assure that the device and its related systems are secure, and provide updates and patches on a regular base and in critical events outside of regular cycles (3) provide a software bill of materials, including commercial, open-source, and off-the-shelf software components. The legislation also allows the FDA to take action against existing devices that were not submitted for pre-market approval if they are found to be insecure.
The third edition of Cyber Signals, a yearly report which highlights security trends and insights from Microsoft’s 8,500 security experts and 43 trillion daily security signals, was recently launched. In this edition, experts present new information on broader threats to critical infrastructure posed by converging information technologies, the Internet of Things (IoT), and operational technology (OT) systems.
Unpatched, high-security vulnerabilities identified in 75% of the most common industrial controllers in customer OT networks.
Over one million connected devices publicly visible on the internet running Boa, an outdated and unsupported software widely used in IoT devices and software development kits.
An 78% increase in disclosures of high-severity vulnerabilities from 2020 to 2022 in industrial control equipment produced by popular vendors.
The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and its National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) published a draft practice guide for trusted internet of things (IoT) onboarding and lifecycle management. This guide demonstrates how organisations can protect their IoT devices and networks. It details standards, practices, and technology to demonstrate mechanisms for trusted network-layer onboarding of IoT devices. The guide also shows how to provide network credentials to IoT devices in a trusted manner and maintain a secure posture throughout the device lifecycle.
The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Egypt (NTRA), together with the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), held Egypt’s first forum for internet of things (IoT) services. The forum aims to promote and disseminate IoT services within Egypt’s market, particularly across national projects. Representatives of 36 public and private entities, technology manufacturers, and operators participated in the forum. The forum approved two main agendas. The first agenda concerns securing data, establishing regulatory and legislative frameworks, and raising awareness. The second agenda relates to using IoT services in public utilities such as health, education, environment, transportation, tourism, energy, industry, agriculture, irrigation, and smart cities sectors.
WEF is a not-for-profit foundation whose membership is composed of large corporations from around the world. We engage political, business, academic, and other leaders of society in collaborative efforts to shape global, regional, and industry agendas. Together with other stakeholders, we work to define challenges, solutions, and actions in the spirit of global citizenship. The Forum also serves and builds sustained communities through an integrated concept of high-level meetings, research networks, task forces, and digital collaboration.
Digital activities
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is one of the Forum’s key areas of work. Under this focus, we carry out a wide range of activities covering digital policy issues, from telecom infrastructure and cybersecurity to the digital economy and the future of work. We have set up multiple platforms and global forums focused on bringing together various stakeholders and initiatives to advance debates and foster cooperation on the issues explored. We also publish reports, studies, and white papers on our focus areas, and feature discussions on the policy implications of digital technologies in the framework of the Forum’s annual meeting in Davos and other events organised around the world
Digital policy issues
Telecommunications infrastructure
The Forum’s work in the area of telecom/digital infrastructure is broadly dedicated to shedding light on the need to advance connectivity and evolve towards new network technologies as a way to support the transition to the fourth industrial revolution and support the growth of digital economies. For instance, the Global Future Council of New Network Technologies, active between 2018 and 2020, explored, among others, incentives for network development and the role of new network systems in driving value and innovation. The Forum also promotes the role of digital public infrastructures in enabling digital inclusion and advancing sustainable development.
A specific focus area for the Forum is 5G. We have identified 5G as an issue of global importance and work on analysing the impacts of 5G on industry and society. In our report titled The impact of 5G: Creating new value across industries and society, we note that 5G will be critical because it will enable unprecedented levels of connectivity, allowing for superfast broadband, ultra-reliable low latency communication, massive machine-type communications, and high reliability/availability and efficient energy usage, all of which will transform many sectors, such as manufacturing, transportation, public services, and health. In another example, the 5G Outlook Series: Enabling inclusive long-term opportunitieslooks at what can be done to ensure that 5G is a technology that benefits people, businesses, and society. The role of satellites in delivering connectivity and the challenges associated with growing competition in Earth orbit are other areas explored by the Forum. The Global Future Council on the Future of Space explores ways in which international cooperation and public-private partnerships can drive sustainable and inclusive use of space resources.
The Forum also explores issues related to AI safety, security, and standards; AI ethics and values; and machine learning and predictive systems in relation to global risks and international security. We publish articles on the need to build a new social contract to ensure that technological innovation, in particular AI, is deployed safely and aligned with the ethical needs of a globalising world. We are also assisting policymakers in devising appropriate AI-related policies. For instance, we published a Framework for Developing a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy to guide governments in their efforts to elaborate strategies for the development and deployment of AI.
In recent years, AI and its impact on national and international policy spaces have featured highly on the agenda of our annual meetings in Davos. AI is also the focus of dedicated events such as the AI Governance Summit organised in November 2023.
Blockchain and cryptocurrencies
The Forum works on governance issues related to the equity, interoperability, security, transparency, and trust of blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT). We also analyse the relationship between blockchain and cybersecurity and international security, as well as the future of computing. We publish papers on issues such as blockchain data storage, the challenges blockchain faces and its role in security, as well as guides such as the Blockchain Development Toolkit to guide organisations through the development and deployment of blockchain solutions.
Internet of things
The Forum’s Centre for Urban Transformation explores various issues related to the implications of connected devices and smart technologies. For example, the Council on the Connected World focuses on strengthening innovation and the global governance of connected technologies to maximise the positive benefits and minimise harm for all. One specific area of work for the Council is the security of IoT devices; in 2022, the Forum facilitated a joint Statement of Support on consumer IoT device security outlining key security requirements for consumer-facing devices. In 2023, the Council published the State of the Connected World report, which tracks governance gaps related to IoT.
The Global New Mobility Coalition explores issues related to sustainable mobility, including when it comes to the governance of shared, electric, and automated mobility.
The Forum has created the Global Future Council on the Future of Quantum Economy, which looks into how various actors (governments, businesses, etc.) can take action to maximise the potential offered by quantum technologies. In addition, the Quantum Economy Network offers a platform for governments, businesses, and academia to shape the development of quantum technologies and prepare for their introduction into the economy. The Quantum Security initiative brings together stakeholders from governments, the private sector, academia, and non-profit organisations to exchange ideas and cooperate on issues related to promoting the secure adoption of quantum technologies.
We host a Cybercrime Atlas Initiative dedicated to strengthening coordination between the private sector and law enforcement in fighting cybercrime.
Cybercrime also constitutes the focus of various studies and articles we have published, which delve into issues such as emerging threats and ways to tackle them.
The Forum has launched a Centre for Cybersecurity dedicated to ‘fostering international dialogues and collaboration between the global cybersecurity community both in the public and private sectors’. Multiple projects are run under this platform, such as the Cybersecurity Learning Hub and the Digital Trust initiative. The cyber resilience of critical sectors, such as electricity and the oil and gas industry, is also a focus area for us.
The Forum hosts a Global Future Council on the Future of Cybersecurity, which explores modalities for strengthening cyber risk management across economies and societies. Quantum security and digital trust are among the Council’s focus areas.
Every year, we bring together actors from the public and private sectors to foster collaboration on making cyberspace safer and more resilient, in the framework of the Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity.
The Cross-Border Data Flows project under the Forum’s Digital Trade Initiative looks at how policymakers can advance data transfer governance arrangements while ensuring policy interoperability for data flows.
The Forum regularly publishes reports and papers on data governance issues such as restoring trust in data, cross-border data flows, data protection and security, among others.
E-commerce and trade and digital business models
Several activities and projects run by the Forum focus on e-commerce and broader digital economy-related issues. Under our Digital Trade initiative (part of the Centre for Regions, Trade and Geopolitics), we have been exploring opportunities and challenges associated with digital trade, while also engaging in the shaping of global, regional, and industry agendas on digital trade. Projects run within the initiative include, among others, the Digital Economy Agreement Leadership Group – which aims to contribute to the growth of inclusive and sustainable digital economies, and the TradeTech project – which facilitates dialogue on public policy and regulatory practices related to digital trade. The Digital Payments for Trade and Commerce Advisory Committee – also part of the Digital Trade initiative – is dedicated to fostering interoperability, inclusivity, and coherent regulatory reforms for digital payments.
E-commerce is also tackled in studies, white papers, and events we produce, which address issues such as e-commerce in emerging markets, the impact of e-commerce on prices, and digital currencies.
Under the Centre for the New Economy and Society, we bring together various stakeholders to promote new approaches to competitiveness in the digital economy, with a focus on issues such as education and skills, equality and inclusion, and improved economic opportunities for people.
Future of work
The future of work is a topic that spans multiple Forum activities. For instance, under the Centre for the New Economy and Society, several projects focus on issues such as education, skills, upskilling and reskilling, and equality and inclusion in the world of work. We have also launched a Reskilling Revolution Initiative, aimed at contributing to providing better jobs, education, and skills to one billion people by 2030. Projects under this platform include, among others, Education 4.0 (focused on mapping needed reforms to primary and secondary education systems), Education and Skills Country Accelerators (dedicated to advancing gender parity, promoting upskilling and reskilling, and improving education systems), and Skills-first (focused on transforming adult education and workforce skills). Also part of the Reskilling Revolution is the Future Skills Alliance, whose main objective is to facilitate the adoption of skills-first management practices and give workers a fair and equal opportunity to excel in the labour market.
The Forum publishes regular reports on the Future of Jobs, exploring the evolution of jobs and skills and how technology and socio-economic trends shape the workplace of the future. Other notable publications and tools developed by the Forum include the white paper on Putting Skills First: A Framework for Action and the Global Skills Taxonomy.
Digital access
The Forum’s EDISON Alliance brings together governments, businesses, academia, and civil society to advance equitable access to the digital economy and bridge digital divides. Part of the Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Alliance fosters collaboration to drive digital inclusion and accelerate the delivery of digital solutions to unserved and underserved communities, with a focus on health, education, and financial inclusion. It also provides policymakers with guidance to make informed decisions that drive financial inclusions. Tools developed by the Alliance include principles for digital health inclusion, a guidebook for digital inclusion bond financing, and a Digital Inclusion Navigator that provides access to case studies and best practices related to bridging digital divides.
Strategic Intelligence: The Forum’s platform provides access to transformation maps – mappings of ‘hundreds of global issues and their interdependencies’.
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