European Future Technology Summit - EFTS

Young people under 30 years today will play a key role in shaping the future of Europe. This is why EUREL, as the European umbrella organization for engineers in electrical engineering, electronics and information technology, and its members led by VDE from Germany want to establish cross-border networks between students and young professionals and open options for action for them. We want to establish the framework for stability in Europe. Hardly any other branch of industry is driving issues such as artificial intelligence (AI), the energy transition and cyber security as concretely as electrical engineering, information technology and microelectronics. This also makes it clear that hardly any other profession is as important in finding answers to key political challenges.

With the 1st European Future Technology Summit (EFTS) in Brussels in early September 2023, EUREL has precisely made these issues the focus of a three-day workshop. 40 students and young professionals from EUREL member countries met in the heart of European politics to discuss key topics from the fields of AI, cyber security and digital with experts from academia, research, and politics at the premises of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Let's get it started - EFTS 2023: Before starting the workshop phase, the aim was to: Get to know Brussels and the European Parliament. The first topic on the agenda of the EFTS was a visit to the European Parliament. The team of the MEP Dennis Radtke (EPP) gave important insights into the work of an MEP and opened one or the other door in the premises of the European Parliament. Of course, a view into the large plenary hall was not missing. After the appointment in the parliament Brussels was discovered with professional city guides. Many exciting stories about the history of Brussels were told. At the following welcome dinner, the first day of the EFTS was brought to a pleasant and relaxing end - before the unofficial part began.

Workshops - European Future Technology Summit (EFTS)

After the official welcome to the European Future Technology Summit - EFTS by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of EUREL, Markus B. Jaeger, a digital welcome speech by MEP Moritz Körner (Renew Europe) was addressed to the young and future engineers. MEP Körner, as a member of the EU Parliament's Intergroup on Artificial Intelligence and Digitalization, has a very close relationship with the topics of the EFTS workshops.

Artificial Intelligence - Digital Trust - EU AI Act: Dr Sebastian Hallensleben (VDE Head of Artificial Intelligence & Digital Trust Department), Kai Zenner (Head of Office and Digital Policy Adviser for Member of European Parliament Axel Voss from European People's Party Group) and Irina Orssich (Head of Sector for Artificial Intelligence Policy at the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology - DG CONNECT), impressively demonstrated to the participants how important trust is for even the simplest things in human life. Trust has this special role especially in the digital space and in the context of AI. The presentations of the three experts from different fields gave important insights into the policy and the AI Act of the European Union. In this context, the "AI Trust Label" created by VDE was seen by all as the best possible solution to ensure people's trust in AI.

AI, intelligence and deepfakes: Dr Emmanuel Kahembwe (CEO of VDE UK, AI Architect of VDE group) explored the questions "Is AI stupid?" and "What is intelligence anyway?". Emmanuel Kahembwe’ s talk got the audience thinking and encouraged them to rethink the definition of intelligence and the intent in the context of algorithms. Dr Emmanuel Kahembwe (CEO of VDE UK, AI Architect of VDE group) explored the questions "Is AI stupid?" and "What is intelligence anyway?". Emmanuel Kahembwe’ s talk got the audience thinking and encouraged them to rethink the definition of intelligence and the intent in the context of algorithms. In a presentation extraordinaire, Jessica Fritz (responsible for the topic of Cybersecurity at VDE) reversed the roles and let the AI-animated "Parker" lead the conversation. The AI-generated talk about deepfakes was eye-opening: A simple 7-minute video recording of a person is enough for AI tools to use it in such a way as to attribute to it all the statements and facial expressions that a person with a crime would like. Even the best current algorithms for detecting fakes currently only have a success rate of less than 80%.

Trust in AI – Quality & Testing of AI: The presentations by Dr Michael Rammensee (managing director of the "AI Quality & Testing Hub" with the Hessian Minister for Digital Strategy and Development and the VDE) and Ferdinand Ferroli (Director of Policy & Research at IDENTITY Valley) on digital responsibility, quality of AI and testing of AI showed the importance of evaluating AI to ensure that algorithms are as fair as possible. This helps users gain trust while complying with the European value system.

AI will run Mobility, Industry 4.0, and Energy Sector: Nora Dörr (VDE Knowhow and Innovation Management) showed how AI can transform wide areas of mobility. Already today, a growing number of regions are investing in AI in the public mobility sector. The capabilities of mobility AI are becoming more sophisticated. This can be a valuable investment in the future. Dr Jens Gayko (Managing Director of the Standardization Council Industry 4.0 - SCI 4.0) and Alexander Nollau (Head of the Energy Department VDE DKE - German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies) focused attention on a sustainable and at the same time technological future - with the help of digital tools and AI. Examples were the Digital Product Passport and data-driven solutions for sustainable energy.

VDE Summer Reception Brussels - Social highlight of the European Future Technology Summit 2023

Embedded in the EFTS, the traditional VDE Summer Reception Brussels took place. The Bavarian State Government was generous enough to make the premises of the Bavarian State Representation to the European Union in Brussels available. The theme of the Summer Reception was aligned with the EFTS: AI and Trust in the Digital Space. The VDE Summer Reception was booked to capacity with 250 international guests, and so Dr Hans Michael Strepp (Head of Office at the Bavarian State Ministry for Digital Affairs) opened the evening event in front of full rows of chairs.

Keynotes by Prof. Dr Kristina Sinemus (Hessian Minister for Digital Strategy and Development), Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament and Digital Policy Spokesman of the EPP Group) as well as VDE President Alf Henryk Wulf and Dr Sebastian Hallensleben (VDE Head of Artificial Intelligence & Digital Trust Department) followed and led into the panel discussion moderated by Jessica Fritz, which was additionally complemented by Elena Santiago Cid (Director General CEN and CENELEC) and Kilian Gross (European Commission, Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, Head of Unit, Artificial Intelligence Policy Development and Coordination).

EUREL International Management Cup (IMC) 2023 - and the winner is

Before the culinary and social part of the VDE Summer Reception started, Markus B. Jaeger (VDE Global Head of Political Affairs and organizer of the VDE Summer Reception Brussels) in his role as EUREL Chairman of the Board of Directors awarded the winning teams of the EUREL International Management Cup (IMC) 2023 from Switzerland (2nd place) and Spain (3rd place). The winning team from Germany was not able  to be in Brussels for the ceremony. Afterwards, there was no stopping the event and the night was used extensively for networking - first at the Bavarian Representation and then in the clubs of the European capital.

Stay tuned - the European Future Technology Summit - EFTS will be continued in 2024!