ISO - Annual Meeting 2023 (2024)

Artificial intelligence

Hydrid session

“Ready or not, here comes AI”

Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. We find examples in user-oriented virtual assistants like Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, Microsoft’s Cortana, and Google Assistant. Other examples include business-oriented chatbots, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google Bard, and many more generative AI technologies, such as OpenAI’s DALL•E and MusicLM by Google. AI is touching all our lives, whether we like it or not, and it’s evolving faster than any of us could possibly imagine. If we are to harness AI, we need to address significant challenges and opportunities. Who will be held accountable when things go wrong? How can AI be used to promote fairness and equality? This session explores the big questions related to ethics and governance of AI. Please come with an open mind, and a willingness to learn and be challenged.

Cybersecurity

Hybrid session

“Cybersecurity: Taking a proactive approach”

Cyber-attacks are on the rise, costing the world trillions of dollars annually. The number of attacks is increasing rapidly while hackers are getting faster and better at identifying organizations’ vulnerabilities. Being prepared is key. To protect your organization and its data, you need a proactive strategy to mitigate these threats before they occur. How do we move from a reactive approach to a posture of readiness? At the nexus of standards and public policy, this session examines how effective cybersecurity governance can help create a cyber environment that is resilient and secure.

Climate action

Hybrid session

“Preserving paradise: Climate adaptation for vulnerable islands”

Global sea levels are predicted to rise by up to one metre by 2100, says the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Meanwhile, cyclones, wildfires and floods are expected to intensify as the climate warms.For low-lying islands, this projection implies population displacement, infrastructure damage and a significant loss of habitable land. It also has far-reaching consequences on biodiversity, cultural integrity as well as key factors that support people’s livelihoods and prosperity. Building islands’ resilience calls for swift, concerted action from the international community to ensure that some of the world’s most vulnerable islands aren’t lost forever. A high-level panel looks at climate and disaster risk in small islands and how International Standards can be part of the solution.

Hydrogen

Hybrid session

“Hydrogen: Fuel of the future?”

It may be the smallest particle on Earth, but hydrogen holds immense potential as a clean fuel for the global energy transition. It’s a gas that can be burned in an engine or used in a fuel cell to power vehicles, produce electricity or provide heat. Yet bringing clean hydrogen to scale has many challenges and certain factors need to be considered. These include creating harmonized standards for safety, interoperability and sustainability across the hydrogen value chain. Developing economies will need particular support to accelerate green hydrogen projects in order to contribute to resilient and inclusive growth. Join us in exploring hydrogen’s potential and limitations, and how we can turn the technology into a fuel for the present.

Plastic pollution

Online session

“From pollution to solution: Tackling the plastics crisis”

Plastic pollution is choking our planet. The facts are clear: over 300 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced each year, yet only 9% of this waste is recycled. Tackling plastic pollution calls for unprecedented collaboration – through the whole plastic life cycle and across the supply chain. The multilateral cooperation is led by the United Nations and its negotiations on a treaty to end all plastic pollution. As the world rallies behind a common vision, ISO looks at how International Standards help accelerate action to solve this global crisis.

Metaverse

Online session

“Beyond the metaverse: The future of virtual worlds”

The metaverse. Is it just another buzzword or a business opportunity? Hailed as a successor to the Internet, it is expected to serve as an immersive space where you can work, socialize, play and shop. Yet, while the metaverse has received much public attention and investment, there is still no convergence on terminology, application and use. Is the “single metaverse” realistic? Or are we already witnessing fragmented and parallel applications based on diverse communities and purposes? Join a panel of industry experts as they discuss crucial aspects of governance, interoperability, privacy and safety, and the standards needed for this digital transformation.

Food waste

Hybrid session

“Overcoming barriers to reducing food loss and waste”

Each year, a third of all food produced goes uneaten. Much food is lost at the farm level, but also in retail outlets, food services and consumer households. Preventing food loss and food waste at scale could offset environmental damage and economic volatility, while increasing the accessibility of food for food-insecure populations. To make this happen, every stage of the supply chain has a fundamental role to play. But what are the key challenges and solutions? This session examines how collaborative efforts across the food chain, supported by standards, can help phase out food waste as we know it, contributing to a more sustainable world.

Anti-corruption

Online session

“Building back trust: All together against corruption”

The stakes are high in the fight against corruption. Corruption erodes trust, weakens democracy and the rule of law, hampers economic progress and further exacerbates inequality and poverty. Good governance is essential for an organization’s long-term survival – but what form should it take? There is no simple solution, but defining an appropriate approach to governance is fundamental to ensuring favourable outcomes. This session takes a pragmatic look at anti-fraud and corruption measures in the public and private sectors, and how ISO standards can help governance get ahead of the curve.

Laura Reyes

Executive director

CEMPRE

Adewale Ogundele

Anti-Corruption Officer

Interpol

Tanya Khavanska

Anti-Corruption Division

OECD

Lyria Bennett Moses

Professor & Director of the UNSW Allens Hub for Technology, Law and Innovation

University of New South Whales

Derek Kawiti

Professor of Architecture in Māori Designed Environments and Indigenous Technologies

Victoria University of Wellington

Partner

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Innovate

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