One of the largest global tech conferences, the Web Summit in Lisbon brought together speakers and experts from the fields of AI, Machine Learning, Blockchain, Distributed Ledger Technology, Internet of Things, Web3 and many others.
The exponential Science team took part in this event where hot topics and trends drove conversations about the future of technology, alongside policymakers, founders, CEOs, heads of state, and fast-growing start-ups. The summit offers a platform for exploring the intersection of technology, business and society, acting as a barometer for what the emerging technologies communities consider to be important and trendy.
Kristina Lucrezia Cornèr, Global Head of Strategy and Partnerships at Exponential Science attended in person and led two panels on payment solutions and embedded finance, providing a glimpse into the evolving landscape of financial technology.
During the panel “In Sync: A New Era in European Payments” on the 13th of November, Cornèr highlighted the significance of payments as a symbol of freedom: ‘Payments are freedom. I think your story demonstrates how you can think global but build local and then cooperate.’ She emphasised the importance of collaboration, acknowledging the dedicated teams that make innovations possible:
‘At the end of the day, it's about payments, transactions, technology, but behind that, there are people, and people are the most important element of any innovation.’
On the 14th of November, Cornèr moderated the discussion ‘Agility in Action: Who’s Disrupting Embedded Finance?’ which explored the transformative potential of embedded finance. Reflecting on the convergence of technology and human need, she remarked, ‘In ancient Greek philosophy, the future wasn’t ahead of us but behind us—unseen. I'm working a lot with the scientific community at the Exponential Science Foundation, and I’m inspired by how scientists and researchers analyse the past to bring solutions to the future.’
Throughout the Summit, approximately 220 sessions covered diverse topics, from roundtables and press conferences to panels and masterclasses. AI emerged as the dominant theme in 2024, capturing almost 50% of the conversations and underscoring its transformative role across industries. Sustainability turned out to be the second most discussed topic, significantly overshadowing other important areas like Digital Assets and Blockchain.
Amid these discussions, some questioned whether the ‘AI bubble’ might be on the verge of bursting, while others examined the evolving regulatory landscape surrounding emerging technologies such as the MiCA regulation. The EU’s AI Act, presented by Gabriele Mazzini, its Lead Author, brought attention to both the risks and potential of this rapidly evolving sector:
‘This is really an emerging market. It's not yet mature, so there's a lot of potential risks, but also a lot of potential.’
In addition to regulatory discussions, the summit also touched on several AI use cases, and their impacts on different industries such as healthcare, arts, manufacturing, media and urban innovation, as well as on society, among other reflections.
During a masterclass on ‘Five key applications of AI and blockchain’, hosted by Hedera, Ed Marquez, Head of Developer Relations at Hedera, went even further and delved deeper into blockchain’s transformative applications for AI, underscoring the importance of transparency, integrity, and accountability.
Exponential Science stands behind this notion of shaping a future where AI, blockchain, and other emerging technologies converge to create a more equitable digital ecosystem.
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