The International Defence Conference 2023, which will be held on February 19 in Abu Dhabi, will attract a number of global leaders, decision-makers, ministers, senior officials and speakers specialising in defence industries.

 

The event will shed light on the rapid development of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, and the importance of leveraging these technologies to bring about solutions to the challenges facing humankind.

 

The conference, which will be held under theme of “Adaption, Exploration, Transformation: Reimagining Security, Society, and the Human Experience in an age of Disruption”, brings together thought leaders, policy makers, influencers, researchers and futurists to debate and share ideas related to technological advancement and disruptive technologies.

 

It will include keynote speeches by Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi, UAE Minister of State for Defence Affairs.

 

Four panels

The event will include 4 panel discussions. The first panel, titled “Promise and Peril”, the social and economic impacts and risks of widespread adoption of new technologies such as AI, neuro, & biotechnology and extended reality. Panelists will include: Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE’s Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications; François-Régis BOULVERT International Scientific Cooperation Director of Naval Group; Wesley Kremer President Raytheon Missiles and Defense; and General John W Nicholson Jr, Chief Executive at Lockheed Martin Middle East.

 

The second panel, titled “Keeping Pace: investigate and shed light on how the increasing incorporation of advanced technologies in the workplace is changing approaches to talent development and human capital management. Panelists will include Dr Ahmed bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education of UAE, Robert Kachatryan, Minister of High-Tech Industry Armenia, Lieutenant General (Retired) Sir Tom Beckett Executive Director of IISS–Middle East, Hassan Al Hosani, CEO- Bayanat (G42). 

 

The third panel, titled “Tech at the Forefront: examine the impact of emerging technologies on modern operations and the future of warfare. Panellists will include: Major General Dr Mubarak Saeed Ghafan Al Jabri, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Idex and Navdex, in addition to members of the Committee and its subcommittees in the UAE, AUSEC for Support and Defence Industries, Ministry of Defence; Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, Dong Joon Yoo, Deputy Minister of Military Force and Resource Management Republic of Korea, Commander of US Naval Forces Central Command, and the US Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces; Major General (Ret'd) Professor Adam Findlay, Professor of Practice, Defence and Regional Security, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University.

 

The next Frontiers

The fourth panel, titled “The next Frontiers: explore at the human instinct to explore beyond the current dimensions of the terrestrial and physical world and expand the human footprint. Panelists will include Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, UAE’s Minister of State for Public Education & Future Technology; Stephen duMont President, General Motors, USA. Nikos Papatsas Senior Partner EFA Group. 

 

The previous edition of IDC, which was held in 2021, brought together 24 international experts, over 400 on-ground participants, and 2,400 participants joining virtually from 80 countries.-- TradeArabia News Service