Sophia Antipolis, France The ETSI Summit on 4 April 2019 reviewed the current and future applications of Artificial Intelligence, as well as the potential challenges and opportunities of deploying AI massively across the industry.
Overview
Artificial Intelligence has been present in our society for decades, but can now be considered as “coming of age”. The increasing application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in many Industries is in part due to the progress made in AI technologies, the availability of highly powerful computing resources, as well as the existence of the massive amounts of Big Data that are needed to facilitate algorithmic learning. The ETSI summit on AI seeked to separate the hype from the science and provide better understanding of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Deep Learning, as well as describing where AI is currently deployed using practical examples.
AI is becoming an integral part of our networks and services, and is present across multiple domains such as finance, manufacturing, medical, telecommunications and transportation to name just a few. The summit examined how AI will be used in telecommunications, particularly in network and service management for virtualized networks. One domain where AI will be particularly transformational is in the manufacturing industry, bringing improvements in productivity and quality through the applied use of robotics and analytics. This was also discussed during a dedicated session. Particularly relevant to the work in standards, is the question of how AI can also be used to help us to standardize in different ways, better and faster. What are the opportunities and threats for standards makers and standards users?
When considering AI, it is also important to examine the topics of societal change, ethics, as well the methods required for monitoring and securing the AI elements.
The ETSI Summit on AI offered a rich and stimulating programme to the audience, as well as providing unique learning and networking opportunities.
This summit welcomed leaders from the Manufacturing Industry; decision-makers in AI strategy and adoption; professionals, experts and researchers involved in AI developments and deployments; National Security Organizations dealing with security AI elements; European Commission and regulatory organizations; ETSI, oneM2M and 3GPP members who are working with AI; Standards Developing Organizations and Fora representatives who are active in the field of AI.
Scope of the event
The ETSI summit reviewed the current and future applications of AI, as well as identifying the potential challenges and opportunities of deploying AI massively across the industry and will aim to address key topics including the following:
- What do we really mean by AI? Where is AI already present in our daily lives?
- What is AI’s role in the telecommunication sector?
- How does the manufacturing industry use AI for better performance, efficiency of production and distribution e.g. through AI empowered robotics and analytics?
- Challenges and opportunities:
- What are the societal and ethical issues?
- Securing and monitoring AI applications
- Ensuring predictability and reliability of AI through eg. certification
- Standards for AI or standards with AI?
- Are new methods of technological and/or organizational cooperation needed?
- Global standards versus national differences in data and privacy rights?
Each session included a series of presentations followed by a panel discussion.
- 08:1509:00
Registration / Check-in
- Welcome
- 09:0009:10
Welcome Address
- Luis Jorge Romero Saro, ETSI Director-General
- Dirk Weiler, ETSI Board Chairman
- Session 1: Setting the scene - Artificial Intelligence Today
Session Chair: Dirk Weiler, ETSI Board Chair, Nokia
The session will address the following key questions: What is AI and the different ‘levels’ of AI? Where AI is presently used and what is the European Commission strategy with regards to AI in Europe and beyond?
- 09:1009:30
AI today, beyond the myth
Ray Walshe, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Computing in Dublin City University (DCU), Ireland - 09:3009:50
Where is AI, in our everyday business and private life?
Ray Forbes, ETSI ISG ENI Chair, ETSI ISG PDL Vice-Chair, Huawei - 09:5010:10
AI strategy for Europe
Cecile Huet, Deputy Head of Unit Robotics & Artificial Intelligence, DG CONNECT, European Commission - 10:1010:40
Networking Coffee
- Session 2: AI in the Telecommunications Industry
Session Chair: James Crawshaw, Senior Analyst, Heavy Reading
The session will examine the applicability of AI in the telecommunications sector with a focus on network management and the role of AI in 5G networks.
- 10:4011:00
ETSI work on AI for network and service management
Diego Lopez, Senior Technology Expert, Telefonica I+D - ETSI NFV and PDL ISGs Chair - 11:0011:20
The vision of Zero Touch operations
Farjola Peco, Director, Technology Strategist, Group Function Technology, Ericsson AB - 11:2011:40
Where else AI could be used in the telecom industry?
Mostafa Essa, Vodafone RAN AI and Data Analytics Distinguished Engineer, A.I. Researcher, Vodafone - 11:4012:20
PANEL: The Future of the telecom companies business with AI
Moderated by James Crawshaw, Senior Analyst, Heavy ReadingThe panel will address the future of the telecommunications companies business using AI, the challenges, and opportunities.
Panelists:
- Mostafa Essa, Vodafone RAN AI and Data Analytics Distinguished Engineer, A.I. Researcher, Vodafone
- Raymond Forbes, ETSI ISG ENI Chair, ETSI ISG PDL Vice-Chair, Huawei
- Diego Lopez, Senior Technology Expert, Telefonica I+D - ETSI NFV and PDL ISGs Chair
- Henning Sanneck, Manager, Network Automation Research Department, Standardisation Research, NOKIA Bell Labs
- Farjola Peco, Director, Technology Strategist, Group Function Technology, Ericsson
- 12:2013:40
Networking Lunch
- Session 3: The Role of AI and Machine Learning in Industry 4.0 and Manufacturing
Session Chair: Jochen Friedrich, ETSI Board Member, IBM Europe
The session will highlight the benefits of applying AI in Industry e.g. AI / ML in a ‘smart factory’; as well as identify potential new areas and challenges of enabling AI in the manufacturing sector.
- 13:4014:00
Overview of where AI and ML are currently used in the Manufacturing Industry
Dieter Wegener, Speaker ZVEI-Führungskreis Industrie 4.0, Vice President, SIEMENS - 14:0014:20
Innovative new areas of use of AI and ML in the Manufacturing Industry
Stefan Elmer, Head of Development Central Software Development, Festo AG & Co. KG - 14:2014:40
Challenges that are specific to AI and ML in the Manufacturing Industry
Christopher Ganz, Group Vice President for Service and Digital Research & Development, ABB Switzerland - 14:4015:20
PANEL: How is AI and Digitisation transforming the Manufacturing Industry?
Moderated by Jochen Friedrich, ETSI Board Member, IBMThe panel will address how AI is revolutionizing the Manufacturing Industry.
Panelists:
- Stefan Elmer, Head of Development Central Software Development, Festo AG & Co. KG
- Christopher Ganz, Group Vice President for Service and Digital Research & Development, ABB Switzerland
- Christophe Gossard, Strategic Standards Manager for Region 2, John Deere GmbH & Co. KG
- Dieter Wegener, Speaker ZVEI-Führungskreis Industrie 4.0, Vice President, SIEMENS
- 15:2015:50
Networking Coffee
- Session 4: Challenges and Opportunities of Using AI
Session Chair: Neviana Nikoloski, ETSI GA Chair, Phonak Communications AG
The session will examine how the largescale deployment of AI in our networks and services will present both great opportunities as well as new challenges such as societal and ethical considerations and new security requirements.
- 15:5016:10
Societal, ethical and trustworthiness issues
Andrea Renda, Member of the High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence (AI HLEG),
Global Governance, Regulation, Innovation and the Digital Economy, Centre for European Policy Studies - 16:1016:30
Trusted AI for Business
Alessandro Curioni, IBM Fellow, Vice President Europe and Director IBM Research Zurich - 16:3017:10
PANEL: New opportunities - Standards for AI, Cooperation and the way forward
Moderated by Neviana Nikoloski, ETSI GA Chair, Phonak Communication AGThe panel “New Opportunities - Standards for AI, Cooperation and the Way Forward” will address the following questions: Which elements of AI could be standardized? Are new methods of technological and/or organizational cooperation needed? Global standards versus national differences in data and privacy rights?
Panelists:
- Alessandro Curioni, IBM Fellow, Vice President Europe and Director IBM Research Zurich
- Lise Fuhr, Director General, European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association (ETNO)
- Ashok Ganesh, Director Market Perspectives & Innovation, CEN - CENELEC
- Andrea Renda, Member of the High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence (AI HLEG), Centre for European Policy Studies
- Ray Walshe, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC42 Artificial Intelligence
- Final Session: Closing Remarks
- 17:1017:20
Presented by Neviana Nikoloski ETSI GA Chair, Phonak Communications AG
The final session will provide a summary of the day’s discussions.
- 17:20
End of the event
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