Practical Guides

With new speakers, startups, and innovations in the AI scene at VivaTech this year, there's a lot to explore. This guide will take you to the best AI content you won’t want to miss.

![ai roadmap visual](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/ai_guide_23d3720880/ai_guide_23d3720880.jpg)
AI has taken center stage this year, with $3.2 billion invested in generative AI startups in 2023, marking a [250.2%](https://news.crunchbase.com/ai-robotics/us-startup-funding-doubled-openai-anthropic-2023) increase over 2022. Artificial intelligence has transitioned from being perceived as deep tech to becoming an indispensable tool across all industries this year. As it continues to captivate, AI presents a golden opportunity for potential businesses, with a strong emphasis on innovation.

We've created a guide for you with the top AI sessions, speakers, and innovations to follow at VivaTech this year, and there's more yet to come.

![vt23-s1-d2-13-45-can-democracy-survive-ai_037_NM.jpg](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/vt23_s1_d2_13_45_can_democracy_survive_ai_037_NM_c3ef9372f5/vt23_s1_d2_13_45_can_democracy_survive_ai_037_NM_c3ef9372f5.jpg)
_Stage One at VivaTech. Photo credit: VivaTech_
## Top 5 AI sessions 
**[Preparing Your Company for the AI Revolution](https://www.vivatechnology.com/sessions/7862c59e-e2f0-ee11-aaf0-000d3a2b945f)** 

_22 May 1:15 PM- 2:00 PM, Stage 4_

AI is changing the face of a lot of industries, including energy, healthcare, and finance, to increase productivity in the face of constant change. Which real-world uses and best practices surround the deployment of AI? In what ways are we cultivating the abilities and mindset required to use this technology effectively? 

**[Will the Next Medical Breakthrough be AI-Powered?](https://www.vivatechnology.com/sessions/73cee60b-cdf0-ee11-aaf0-000d3a2b945f)** 

_22 May 2:30 PM- 3:05 PM Stage 3_

Three experts discuss how AI could lead to ground-breaking developments in healthcare. They investigate the creation of state-of-the-art applications such as tailored treatment plans, diagnostic tools, and predictive analytics in addition to analyzing the opportunities and ethical dilemmas present in this rapidly changing field.

**[Is Generative AI Feeding the Fake News Machine?](https://www.vivatechnology.com/sessions/9ead289e-d4f0-ee11-aaf0-000d3a2b945f)**

_23 May 4:20 PM- 4:55 PM Stage 3_

Can we trust what we read on the internet? We delve into the impact of AI-generated fake news on consumers and media, co-curated by Diplomatic Courier. Generative AI challenges the reliability of visual content, from harmful deepfakes of President Biden to seemingly harmless alterations to the Pope's attire. Legal remedies are discussed, along with the potential for AI to both create and combat misinformation. 

**[Can AI Help Us Speed Up the Energy Transition?](https://www.vivatechnology.com/sessions/8d343aba-d1f0-ee11-aaf0-000d3a2b945f)**

_23 May 10:00 AM- 10:45 AM Stage 3_

AI is making waves in the energy sector, with over 50 applications identified by the International Energy Agency. This raises questions about its role in renewable energy, skill development in developing nations, and energy efficiency. 

**[Where Will GenAI Take Us in the Next Decade?](https://www.vivatechnology.com/sessions/9057b094-d7f0-ee11-aaf0-000d3a2b945f)**

_24 May 2:00 PM- 2:45 PM Stage 3_

Let’s explore the rapid advancement and integration of generative AI in our daily lives over the past 18 months. A recent McKinsey report suggests it could boost the world economy by $4.4 trillion. We’ll examine GenAI's full potential, from overcoming technical challenges to identifying key beneficiaries and new opportunities with improved models.

## Top 5 AI Speakers You Can’t Miss
 
![dario-amodei2.png](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/dario_amodei2_deeee7f8ac/dario_amodei2_deeee7f8ac.png)
_Dario Amodei_

Dario Amodei  is the CEO of Anthropic, an AI research firm committed to creating useful and secure AI. He did research projects at OpenAI before joining Anthropic, where he made contributions to the development of massive language models and advances in reinforcement learning. Dario has worked at Google Brain and Stanford University School of Medicine and received his doctorate in biophysics from Princeton University.

Catch his talk on Stage One on 22 May.

![yann-lecun.png](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/yann_lecun_bb3674242e/yann_lecun_bb3674242e.png)
_Yann LeCun_

Yann LeCun, founder of FAIR and the NYU Center for Data Science is VP and Chief AI Scientist at Meta and a Silver Professor at NYU. He is a prominent figure in artificial intelligence, having interests in robotics, computational neuroscience, and machine learning. LeCun is a member of prestigious academic organizations such as the French Académie des Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, and he was awarded the 2018 ACM Turing Award.  

Catch his talk on Stage One on 22 May.

![sneha-ravanur.png](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/sneha_ravanur_3c6c8da328/sneha_ravanur_3c6c8da328.png)
_Sneha Revanur_

Sneha Revanur, 19-years-old, is the president and creator of Encode Justice, a global nonprofit that inspires youth to embrace artificial intelligence with a human focus. She is notable for being the youngest person to ever be listed on TIME's esteemed list of the top 100 AI influencers.  

Catch her session: “Can We Have it “All”: Safe, Profitable, and Ethical AI?”
22 May 2:15 PM- 3:00 PM Stage 2

![cristobal.png](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/cristobal_f1af75570b/cristobal_f1af75570b.png)
_Cristóbal Valenzuela_

Runway, an AI research business led by Cristóbal Valenzuela, is a pioneer in generative AI models for content production. Runway offers more than 35 AI Magic Tools to help customers create and edit content. Having graduated from New York University with a master degree in Interactive Telecommunications, Valenzuela works with his co-founders to create innovative creative tools.

Catch his session: “The Next Wave of Content Creation: AI-Powered VFX”
23 May 12:05 PM- 12:20 PM Stage 2

![gina-neff.png](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/gina_neff_5d5e63a167/gina_neff_5d5e63a167.png)
_Gina Neff_

Gina Neff , executive Director at the University of Cambridge's Minderoo Centre, advises UNESCO, researches digital work impacts, leads humanitarian projects, and combats online disinformation with global AI initiatives. She's known for creating the award-winning A to Z of AI website.

Catch her session: “Preparing Your Company for the AI Revolution” 
22 May 1:15 PM on Stage 4

## Check Out the AI Avenue 
The AI Avenue is a VivaTech Innovation Park that delves into AI’s influence on our future and its practical effects on our everyday lives.  From transformative breakthroughs to industry-wide progress, in the AI Avenue you’ll meet innovations like [Esper Bionics](https://esperbionics.com/), a startup that created a bionic ecosystem of interconnected devices for amputees through AI. Another outstanding innovation you can meet here is [ArtPoint](https://www.artpoint.fr/) a Paris-based startup that promotes digital art globally, making it accessible to everyone. 

## Ready to Explore AI at VivaTech?
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to AI at VivaTech this year, almost 40% of exhibitors will showcase concrete AI applications! Want to meet these groundbreaking speakers and innovations? [Book your pass](https://vivatechnology.com/get-your-pass?ca=FPB7UCH5) for VivaTech! 



Your Roadmap to AI at VivaTech 2024

Your Roadmap to AI at VivaTech

News Feed

Emerging Tech

Discover how Moët Hennessy harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to elevate quality, sustainability, and precision of winemaking.

![Champagne](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/champaigne_1_25ba429081/champaigne_1_25ba429081.jpg)
Artificial intelligence is increasingly permeating various industries. One you might not expect? AI is being used to make your favorite glass of bubbly.

[Moët Hennessy](https://www.lvmh.com/houses/wines-spirits/) crafts luxury wines, spirits, and champagne, blending expertise, tradition, and innovation to create exceptional experiences. We spoke with Marc Brévot, R&D Director of the Robert-Jean De Vogüé [Research Centre](https://www.lvmh.com/news-documents/news/moet-hennessy-inaugurates-new-research-center-devoted-to-innovation/) for Moët Hennessy to learn more about how AI is being used in their winemaking. 

## AI Starts with Data
For more than 20 years, data has been at the heart of Moët Hennessy’s research to ensure the excellence of their wines. “Our company was probably one of the first in the wine business to try to unlock the power of data, launching data acquisition and treatment projects as early as 2000,” Brévot explained.

Data has allowed Moët Hennessy to better analyze important parameters and guarantee the best quality fermentations, as well as evaluate the quality potential of each grape juice before fermentation. “Ten years ago data allowed us a breakthrough innovation with the development of a real-time fermentation monitoring system now implemented in all the Moët & Chandon wineries.”

“In terms of viticulture, data has been key to optimizing the harvest date by better understanding the grapes maturation process of a given year, it is involved in optimizing all the harvest complex logistics, it brings more precision in pressing management and most recently it has been useful to determine grape quality in the pressing centers.”

![Marc Brevot headshot](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/brevot_c4386e6082/brevot_c4386e6082.jpg)
_Marc Brévot, R&D Director of the Robert-Jean De Vogüé Research Centre for Moët Hennessy_ 
## AI in Winemaking
For Brévot, the evolution of AI has opened a new era in data. At Moët Hennessy, AI is now applied at various stages of the winemaking process. 

“We use AI for the optical sorting of grapes. The first application was to learn from pictures of the black skin grapes delivered in the pressing centers.” The AI determines the potential color of the grapes and selects the best ones for red winemaking. 

“A more recent usage is, again to learn from pictures of grapes, but this time to evaluate the eventual presence of rot, a prevalent problem for white winemaking,” he added.

“Currently, we are trying to apply AI to fermentations. Thanks to our in-house real-time fermentation monitoring system, we have accumulated a huge library of fermentation kinetics over the different vintages.” They would like to train AI to use this library to predict once the fermentation has started, and how it might continue. “We would be able to better anticipate the potential deviations and act preventively,” Brévot observed. 

## Sustainable Agriculture with AI 
Artificial intelligence has proved helpful in more than one use case, especially when it comes to innovating for the planet. Brévot explains, “The wine and spirits industry is facing huge challenges related to climate change. For centuries, the driver for progress was product quality and over time our industry has developed by continuously improving an extremely successful production model. But climate change and environmental issues are challenging this model, requiring breakthrough innovations to reinvent ourselves sustainably.

In agriculture, the challenge lies in shifting to regenerative practices that harness ecological services, demanding a deep understanding of complex ecosystem dynamics achievable through AI-driven data analysis.

“Moët Hennessy strongly contributes to this challenge by increasing its research investments,” Brévot expressed. “Our new research center is an illustration of this involvement. So is the World Living Soils Forum created in 2022 by Moët Hennessy to address all these challenges to preserve and regenerate soils 

![grapes being analyzed by AI](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/Capture_d_ecran_2024_04_25_152715_9b1a608a04/Capture_d_ecran_2024_04_25_152715_9b1a608a04.jpg)
_AI being used to identify anomalies in grapes. Photo credit: Moët Hennessy_
## The Human Touch
Addressing climate change and reducing environmental impact require two key actions: finding sustainable biobased solutions and implementing precise, low-impact processes. 

“In both cases, it means developing our ability to deal with extreme complexity, a complexity that goes far beyond what humans can actually deal with. Data and AI will give us the capacity to embrace the complexity and make the best decisions. These new technologies are not going to replace the human-added value, especially in our business where product elaboration is not just a matter of technics, it is also a matter of know-how, creativity, and intuition.”

“They will create a deeper and wider appreciation of the situation, an augmented decision capacity enabling the actors to be even more connected to nature in the future than they are now.”

## The Future of AI Agriculture
This is just the beginning of the AI revolution, but Brévot expressed his belief that AI can be an opportunity to scale up, accelerate, and find innovative solutions. 

“Regarding viticulture in the future, AI will be an important tool to understand not only how a vine is growing but also the behavior of the entire vineyard ecosystem. If we can manage to have this level of understanding, we will be able to act on the field smartly by leveraging ecological services rather than using external inputs.”

“In terms of winemaking, we foresee a huge impact of AI on lowering energy consumption and on fine-tuning fermentations and product aging,” he added. 

## Innovations at VivaTech
As we look forward to VivaTech, we can’t wait to explore similar cutting-edge advancements by LVMH, underscoring the intersection of tradition and technology in shaping the future of luxury.

Don’t miss [LVMH’s stand](https://www.vivatechnology.com/partners/lvmh) where Hennessy will unveil, Ampelos, an augmented reality vine pruning training simulator, relying on a digital twin of actual vines in Cognac – an ultra-realistic digital reproduction both in textures, shapes, and colors – to position the learner in front of a vine as close to the real thing as possible, ensuring effective and injury-free pruning techniques no matter what season of the year.

Still haven’t booked your pass to VivaTech 2024? It’s [this way](https://vivatechnology.com/get-your-pass?ca=FPB7UCH5) to explore more innovative agtech solutions. 

ChampAIgne and Moët Hennessy

Agritecture supports resilient food systems through climate-smart agriculture. We get the scoop on how they do it with founder and CEO Henry Gordon-Smith.

![urban agriculture](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/agritecture_18fc96d1ce/agritecture_18fc96d1ce.jpg)
_An example of urban agriculture. Photo credit: Agritecture_ 

Urban agriculture is rapidly emerging as a critical solution to address sustainability challenges in our ever-growing cities. At the forefront of this movement is [Agritecture](https://www.agritecture.com/), a leading advisory firm guiding entrepreneurs, governments, and organizations in building resilient and sustainable food systems. Founder and CEO Henry Gordon-Smith uncovers how Agritecture is transforming urban landscapes and shaping the future of agriculture.

## How urban farming can help address climate change
"Urban agriculture historically has proven over and over again to be a meaningful part of a resilient food system. We have to look to the past to think about how urban agriculture will be applied in the future.” For Henry, growing food in smaller urban spaces in the past was about resilience. “It was about having something else you can trade with your neighbors.”

Citing examples like victory gardens from World War I and II, and vegetable gardening during Covid, Henry believes that urban farming is a way to prevent shocks in supply chains. 

But it’s not just political or economic conflicts that can induce shortages in the system, but now with climate change, it’s about environmental shocks.

“In order to prepare for changing weather patterns, habitat patterns, more storms, etc., indoor greenhouses or vertical farms can make the future more resilient. It's solutions like low-tech versions of protected agriculture, all the way up to high-tech versions of vertical farming. Even if we're just thinking about irrigation strategies or shading strategies, agriculture will need to grow up to face climate change, and controlled environment agriculture is one representation of that transition.”

![farm on rooftop in nyc](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/brooklyn_grange_rooftop1_6b4409e677/brooklyn_grange_rooftop1_6b4409e677.jpg)
_Brooklyn grange rooftop. Photo credit: Anastasia Cole Plakias_
## Agritecture Success Stories
The Agritecture team works on a variety of projects, from individual farms to master planning of communities and cities, all the way to corporate advising.

“One of the projects we're proud of is the city of [Dallas](https://www.agritecture.com/blog/2023/3/8/city-of-dallas-approves-comprehensive-urban-agriculture-plan). We just did the comprehensive urban agriculture plan for the city.

“We’ve worked with them for three years to try and balance technology and equity related to their move to have more urban agriculture. I'm really proud of what we did there because we created a galvanizing community and now there's a program that gives access of vacant lots to community members.

“[Farm.One](https://farm.one/) here in Brooklyn is another one we’re proud of. It’s a sort of farm for chefs, where they've got such a diverse set of crops that are typically imported from all kinds of places. And they grow them instead here and residents get them as well as chefs. It's a very premium experience of a farm.

“In 2022, we worked on the [For Hops](https://farm.one/) project, which was more of a precision agriculture project, looking at hops in the Czech Republic. The hops are threatened by climate change and drought conditions are creating a lot of effects on the quality of the acidity of the plants as well as the yields. So we implemented six pilot IOT farm installations and helped develop the foundations for an AI-driven app.”

## Misconceptions About Urban Farming
From not being profitable or scalable to not believing it will make an impact, Henry highlighted a lot of misguided thoughts on urban agriculture.

“Most people don't see the potential beyond niche. And they're not totally wrong. It's really about practicing design thinking. There are a lot of options for a vacant space, whatever the size and whatever the climate is, you just need to go through a process to consider your options. There's not one way to do this.”

“On one side people believe that vertical farming is about creating a utopia. And the other side, people say it’s not meaningful and will never work. But data suggests that it’s somewhere in the middle.

“We know that with technology, we can grow more in less space. And there are certain places where that can be profitable, depending on the labor, water, and energy costs.

“There are spaces, especially near cities that are not necessarily considered for agriculture that could be considered for agriculture. Peri-urban agriculture has enormous potential because it’s the future area where the cities will develop. There's just more space available.

“One study suggests that we could provide 50 to 70 percent of the fruits and vegetables for cities just on the edges of them. Greenhouses are extremely productive.”

![urban farm outside toronto](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/Fresh_City_Farms_3106d8f270/Fresh_City_Farms_3106d8f270.jpg)
_A peri-urban agriculture project outside Toronto. Photo credit: Fresh City Farms_
## Advice on how to get into urban farming
For someone who didn’t grow up in the agricultural industry, Henry observed that hands-on experience was the only way for him to learn. 

“I didn't grow up with a green thumb. I've had to really observe and research and study how agriculture works. Getting hands-on experience is very important. It's hard to be taken seriously in the sector if you've never been on a farm or understand farmers. 

“I asked the questions I had. And that allowed me to build my network and relationships that have lasted a long time. That's very beneficial in this sector, you need to have a network of people you can depend upon to validate and connect you to grow.

“Sustainability is not an A to Z journey. It's a cycle of continual improvement and observation. So I think some of those same principles of learning something, sharing it, and then going back and assessing is beneficial.”

## Climate Tech at VivaTech
By optimizing urban spaces and integrating cutting-edge technologies, Agritecture is not only redefining how we grow food but also leading the charge in mitigating the effects of climate change and ensuring food security for future generations.

Want to meet and exchange with experts like Henry Gordon-Smith? [Check out](https://www.vivatechnology.com/speakers) the 2024 VivaTech speaker line-up and **[book your four-day pass](https://vivatechnology.com/get-your-pass?ca=FPB7UCH5)**. 




Urban Farming: Feeding Cities, Building Resilience

Urban Farming

The pursuit of the next big breakthrough remains a constant in tech. Isabelle Ryl, Director of the Paris AI Research Institute, sheds light on the intricate role of research in unveiling the unforeseeable in tech innovation.

![Isabelle Ryl headshot](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/isabelle_ryl_d02186dbbe/isabelle_ryl_d02186dbbe.jpg)
Isabelle Ryl heads one of the four French institutes of artificial intelligence created in 2018 as part of the French AI initiative announced by President Emmanuel Macron.

“[Prairie](https://prairie-institute.fr/), the Paris Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, specializes in AI but covers a lot of fields from applied mathematics to computer science with applications in all sciences, especially health,” Ryl explained. 

The institute’s mission is to become a global leader in AI research and higher education, making a significant contribution to the French, European, and global economies and technologies. 

## AI Collaborations
Based out of the [Parisanté](https://parisantecampus.fr/) campus in the south of Paris, Prairie boasts members from the academic community of researchers and teachers in AI, industrial members who are major actors in AI at the global level, and a group of international partners. 

“Not only is the mission of Prairie to do excellent research but also to contribute to the spread of
AI in society. To start this, we have to educate people in AI. 

“AI is something that will be used in every field. That’s why we’re working hard at the Institute to bring AI education to all students, whether they’re studying economics, physics, or sociology. We also have to transfer this innovation into real-world practices, either by working with big companies or creating startups.”

“Collaboration with companies is very important,” Ryl emphasized. “Researchers need to know the real problems that the industry is facing each day. So collaboration is really a way to create cross-fertilization between the two worlds.”

## The Future of Healthcare is Already Here
As we heard from AI and medical researcher Stéphanie Allassonière in [this article](https://www.vivatechnology.com/news/twinning-health-ai-s-path-to-personalized-healthcare) about digital twins, AI has accelerated many processes for researchers. From idea, to proof of concept, to functioning startup, a researcher can easily speed up the stages in between with the help of AI. 

“I'm really convinced that we have never seen such an acceleration of research than in the last few years,” Ryl told us. “And in every field. For example, there is a startup that is helping surgeons prepare for surgeries with a 3D view thanks to AI. They can go inside the bodies of people to plan how they will repair things.

“You have also people creating new molecules, new drugs using AI. That is to say, computers are proposing a few panels of possible molecules and researchers can test them. This limits the amount they have to test, perhaps to a few dozen instead of a few hundred possibilities. So this pre-selection by AI can help researchers go very fast.”

For Ryl, the next big tech innovation is already under development. “Research is all about continuous progress, but at some point, you have a breakthrough. No one can predict the next great technological breakthrough, but we can predict that it will come from research!.”


Want to meet inspiring experts like Isabelle Ryl who are shaping the future with AI? [**Join us**](https://vivatechnology.com/get-your-pass?ca=FPB7UCH5) at VivaTech 2024!

Predicting the Future: The Power of AI Research

The Power of AI Research

This smart city solution boosts your cell service, lights your way home, and fights local crime. Heather Ritchie from Ubicquia shares their smart city solutions for street lights and utility poles. 

 
![Streetlight with sky in the background](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/pexels_min_an_771318_28a67ee1b1/pexels_min_an_771318_28a67ee1b1.jpg)
_Photo credit: Min An_

“There are 360 million streetlights in the world, a billion utility poles, and 500 million transformers. The question is: Can you make it more? And our feeling is that you can,” said Heather Ritchie, Chief Marketing Officer at Ubicquia.

[Ubicquia](https://www.ubicquia.com/) is making city infrastructure intelligent. From integrating 5G deployment to helping local police departments solve crimes with integrated cameras, the US-based company is transforming modern cities into smart cities. 

## A Bright Solution
How does a city know when a light goes out on an unbusy street? Where is the best place to put in a bike lane or change the speed limit to increase safety? 

“We've talked with mayors [who tell us] they pay every year for people to drive around in a truck looking for lighting outages,” Ritchie explained. “Imagine if you put a sensor on and before someone calls to complain or before you drive around in a truck to go find that, you know when lights go out and you use taxpayer dollars in the most efficient way to maintain your assets.”

Ubicquia’s solutions plug into streetlights, utility poles, and transformers to give cities data on important factors in their neighborhoods. 

“I compare it to a plug in your wall where you plug in your charger to charge your phone.
We've got the platforms that plug into that.”

One of their solutions creates an intelligent network of streetlights. “Cities can use those to dim and schedule lighting to reduce energy costs, CO2 emissions, and they can do it because some of them are managing hundreds of thousands of lights,” Ritchie told us.

![Ubicquia UbiHub platform for streetlights](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/Ubicquia_Ubi_Hub_7cab10469e/Ubicquia_Ubi_Hub_7cab10469e.jpg)
_Ubicquia’s plug-in solution. Photo credit: Ubicquia_ 
## Fighting Crime
In addition to gathering data on lighting and traffic, Ubicquia’s streetlight solutions have solved actual murder investigations. 

“Governments, businesses, and police forces are looking for a way to deter and investigate crime. So, we've been selling an easy way to deploy license plate recognition and situational awareness cameras.

“We had a customer that contacted us yesterday, about the fact that it helped them solve two homicides in the last month,” Ritchie revealed.

## An Invisible Miracle
Almost [two-thirds](https://hbs.unctad.org/total-and-urban-population/) of the world’s population lives in urban areas. More people living closer together means more demand for connectivity. 

5G cell towers aren’t the prettiest structures, however. Ritchie explained that Ubicquia recently partnered with [Ericsson](https://www.ubicquia.com/products/ericsson-street-radio) to create a 5G small cell to integrate into streetlights and boost connectivity more discreetly. 

“This platform is nearly invisible from the street and that was the big thing that sold it to some neighborhoods that care about the aesthetics. It’s just a really elegant way to add network capacity in an unobtrusive way for the city,” she shared. 


![Ubicquia installing a radio aerial on a streetlight](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/Ericsson_Ubicquia_Street_Radio_Aerial_Install_735d97bf95/Ericsson_Ubicquia_Street_Radio_Aerial_Install_735d97bf95.jpg)
_5G deployment on streetlights. Photo credit: Ubicquia_ 
## Moving in the Right Direction
Optimizing traffic patterns and road safety in cities requires a large amount of data. Ubicquia also thought of how to gather it.

“The city owns the data [collected from Ubicquia cameras] and there are so many different data points on the various assets that they can use to make cities better,” said Ritchie.

“So it's things like tracking road usage, average speed, what type of vehicles are on it, cities are using that data to understand where they need to invest more. They can start using the data in different ways for more reliable service, better asset management, and public safety.”

## The Slow Road to Success
Ubicquia has helped cities save over $7.5 million in energy cost savings and over 31,000 tons of CO₂ to date. 

“The last two years we have been very busy announcing new products, evolving the street line platform. We won three of the five largest deals in the US last year we’re now in half of the top 30 cities in the US.”

“I think there was a realization for me coming in the door [as CMO two years ago,] that it takes time to set up a proper foundation. And we did that, and sometimes it meant we went a little bit slower at the beginning, so we can go faster now.”

“When you're just starting out, you know every single salesperson, you know every single deal. And I would say as a marketer, don't lose touch with that as you start to grow. 

“And also, make sure that you have the right team and you're hiring in the right order. It's really paid dividends.”

## An Accessible Smart City
While flying cars could be on the horizon for future smart cities, Ubicquia’s vision for the smart cities of today includes visible signs of progress and impact in cities.

“The Smart City could be anything,” Ritchie shared. “For us, what we want is the simplest path to a smart city. And we believe street lights are great entry points and incremental impact done in a really simple way is part of it.

“We're starting to do a lot more work with police departments. How do you make it easy to deter and investigate crime, particularly with policing shortages?

“It's so cities are more livable. And that they're using the intelligence and data within the city to deliver better services and better quality of life.

“It's just smarter, safer, more connected. That's what a smart city needs to be.”


Curious about what the future of smart cities and mobility might look like? [Book your pass](https://vivatechnology.com/get-your-pass?ca=FPB7UCH5) to VivaTech 2024 and join the conversation this May. 




Illuminating the Future: How Streetlights Are Making Cities Smarter

How Streetlights Are Making Cities Smarter

Stephanie Allassonnière shares insights into the transformative power of AI in healthcare.

![Stephanie Allassoniere header](https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/_vt-prd/medias/Stephanie_Allassonniere_2_b51c2c1b00/Stephanie_Allassonniere_2_b51c2c1b00.jpg)

Stephanie Allassonnière, an influential AI and medical researcher, has been immersed in the world of AI for over 15 years. Her career in mathematics and statistics has led to multiple roles in the research world. From co-founding a startup to leading classes as a professor, holding positions in the AI Institute in Paris, [PR[AI]RIE](https://prairie-institute.fr/), all the way to leading her current research in generative AI at [Parisanté](https://parisantecampus.fr/), a campus uniting actors in digital health research and innovation.

One of the facets of her current research is on digital twins in healthcare. A tool that could revolutionize prevention, personalized treatments, and overall optimization of the clinical pathway for patients and practitioners. 

## What’s a Digital Twin?
With many applications across sectors, from design and engineering to modeling products for e-commerce in 3D, digital twins have been growing legs in the tech world since [2017](https://www.challenge.org/insights/digital-twin-history/). But how can digital twins be used in healthcare?

**“The digital twin is, for me, the future of medicine,”** Allassonnière told us. “We are trying to create a digital twin of organs, and eventually a digital twin of the patient, with clinical imaging and genetic data. So this digital twin will help test different drugs, for example, and see which is the better one.”

Her research is part of a private and public consortium between several health institutions called [MediTwin](https://www.3ds.com/newsroom/press-releases/meditwin-launch). The project aims to create personalized virtual twins for better diagnosis and treatment. In particular, it will enable doctors to simulate future scenarios for a patient. 

“It's focused mostly on urgent neurodegenerative diseases and cancers,” Allassonnière added. “So, let’s say your parent has some memory defect. [With the digital twin], we’d have the patient fill out a questionnaire and we’d plug that data in and see in real time a prediction of the outcome of this evolution in 6 months time.” 

Dementia treatments are most [effective](https://alzheimer.ca/en/about-dementia/do-i-have-dementia/how-get-tested-dementia-tips-individuals-families-friends/10) when caught early on. Artificial intelligence in digital twins will be able to help patients act sooner and start personalized preventative treatments before having the first real symptoms. 

## The Evolution of AI in Medicine
Artificial Intelligence, and more specifically generative AI, has been in the spotlight since OpenAI released its AI tools over a year ago. But Allassonnière has been doing research in the field for over 15 years.

**“When I started in the field, it wasn’t actually called AI yet,”** she explained. “It was just called generative statistics. So, I did generative statistics in my Ph.D. and continued after working with standard classical statistical models at first and then going to include deep learning models.”

“Before, all the generative models that we were doing were very niche, they were only for medical doctors. And the AI boom came when you had to deal with many, many types of data and GPUs came into play. What changed was that **it started to be useful for everybody.”**

“What inspires me most about AI in medicine is the fact that we will be able to help people at any moment, from their non-disease stage up to the disease stage.”

## The Next Generation
As a woman in a male-dominant research field, Allassonnière wants to urge young women to not listen to the stereotypes around them. 

“I come from a discipline where women are very rare. I'm a mathematician,” she admitted. “So, I go to high schools and talk to students and teachers so that they stop [repeating the clichés] that I heard myself as a student.”

“I can only encourage women, and particularly young women, to **learn math, learn physics, and learn about computer science**, because we need a diversity of viewpoints. Do whatever you want, because all of our ideas together are really important to make things evolve.”

## A New Future for Medicine
Stephanie Allassonnière's research and innovative projects in the realm of AI and medicine underline the tremendous potential of digital twins in transforming healthcare. A new era in medicine, where early detection, precise diagnosis, and tailored interventions hold the promise of better outcomes and improved quality of life for patients worldwide. 


Want to meet inspiring experts like Allassonnière who are shaping our future? [**Book your pass**](https://vivatechnology.com/get-your-pass?ca=FPB7UCH5) to VivaTech 2024!





Twinning Health: AI's Path to Personalized Healthcare

AI's Path to Personalized Healthcare

A new era of sports is starting. Athletes are training harder and competing better with the help of Artificial Intelligence.

<img class="image_resized" style="width:75%;" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/vt-prd/medias/image_31ee23daf7/image_31ee23daf7.png">Tennis player readying to serve. Photo credit: Gonzalo FacelloWhen you see&nbsp;AI&nbsp;and&nbsp;sports&nbsp;in the same phrase, you might think about the NPC that beat you 6-0 in your last Fifa match... but AI is more involved in the sport industry than you&quote;d think.AI is revolutionizing the way athletes train and compete. From computer vision for improving athlete’s techniques to predictive modeling that analyzes past matches, AI can help athletes and coaches better understand their game.We dive into the ways AI is transforming sport performance and strategy. &nbsp;<img class="image_resized" style="width:50%;" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/vt-prd/medias/image_4ae099d757/image_4ae099d757.png">Runner on a track. Photo credit: Braden Collum<h2>Player Performance</h2>Performing well on game day comes down to how well an athlete trained and prepared beforehand. Advances in AI technology are allowing athletes and coaches to optimize their training so they crush it during competition.&nbsp;Wearables, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, use sensors to measure biometric data like heart rate, speed, and distance traveled. This data can be examined in real-time to offer athletes performance insights and offer personalized training plans to improve specific key metrics.Computer Vision analyzes video footage and tracks athletes&quote; motions using machine learning algorithms. This technology can detect trends in an athlete&quote;s technique and give recommendations on how to improve and what exercises might help them. Imagine a Sunday league footballer who could benefit from a Premier League Level coach&quote;s advice.Virtual reality paired with AI can take recorded competitions and create a simulator that athletes use to practice, allowing them to experience various scenarios and obstacles without having to physically strain themselves. Golfers can hit the greens in the winter and tennis players can train without a partner.&nbsp;<img class="image_resized" style="width:50%;" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/cdn.vivatechnology.com/vt-prd/medias/image_58cff18d41/image_58cff18d41.png">Coach and team strategizing during a match. Photo credit: Quyn Phạm<h2>Game Strategy</h2>Winning the season championship doesn’t happen without a sports strategy. AI is also shaking up sports strategy. Coaches and athletes can use machine learning algorithms to analyze massive quantities of data to uncover patterns and trends, and then enhance their game strategy and tactics.AI can help coaches develop their&nbsp;team&quote;s playing style. By analyzing data on player performance, they can build a style that optimizes players&quote; strengths and minimizes their flaws. A basketball coach might decide to switch up their offensive strategy if data shows that player #43 makes over 70% of their 3-pointers.Understanding your opponents is just as important as understanding your team.&nbsp;Predictive modeling can be used to anticipate the maneuvers of opponents. Coaches can build a plan that takes into consideration their opponents&quote; strengths and weaknesses by studying data on prior performance, giving them a leg up on the competition. Never trust anyone who told you penalty sessions are a lottery…&nbsp; &nbsp;<h2>Is AI Fair$1</h2>While AI can give an advantage to those that use it, there are also some potential implications and limitations of AI in sports.AI systems gather enormous amounts of data. Teams and organizations using AI must therefore comply with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.law.kuleuven.be/citip/blog/towards-a-new-research-line-on-artificial-intelligence-and-sports-at-citip-some-preliminary-legal-and-ethical-issues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GDPR</a> regulations like gathering consent from players to process their data and keeping data up-to-date.&nbsp;As all AI systems learn from data sets created by humans, there is always a chance that analyses become biased. Data has to be ample enough and systems must be well-trained and monitored often to avoid perpetuating existing biases.The use of AI also brings up the argument of whether AI is fair to all parties. If one team has the best AI technologies to assess player performance and develop strategies and the other doesn’t, is it a fair game$2&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.csiro.au/ai-in-sport/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">challenge</a> for humans working with AI is to create appropriate regulations and guidelines for ethics around what we do.&nbsp;<h2>The Future of Sport and AI</h2>There are plenty of exciting possibilities and opportunities that lie ahead for the future of sports as AI continues to advance and shape the industry. We are just beginning to see how this technology can be applied in many ways.&nbsp;What are your thoughts on the use of AI in sports$3 This year we will have an entire hall at VivaTech dedicated to the Future of Sport. Come discuss your ideas on the subject this June.Book your VivaTech 2023 pass&nbsp;<a href="https://vivatechnology.com/get-your-pass$4ca=FPN4KESE">here</a>. &nbsp;

How AI is Altering Sport Performance & Strategy

AI is Altering Sport

With cyber threats evolving rapidly, the future of cybersecurity is always changing. We discuss the newest trends in the field from blockchain to quantum computing.

<img class="image_resized" style="width:75%;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dkfGip9syIw4qaZ8ionQKzuXSHu3U7hHG2qmh2pWTOgFYswNflOC-vAxUPUIAScR7g_JtcdCF_FUd3dWVBMzGG-TR7zxxsyCkTSrXdI41faDd2n9dM0yKAP7Wbn5JYwoHb2uVGRuPdhCe4AL3M7MPUU">Photo credit: Tima Miroshnichenko via PexelsWe all know not to click on links in our email from unknown senders, or give out personal information to random callers, but technology has advanced in the last ten years and so have cyber scammers.&nbsp;Cybersecurity threats are becoming increasingly intricate and hard to trace. Thousands of people and businesses are affected every year by cyber-attacks. Every&nbsp;<a href="https://www.zippia.com/advice/cybersecurity-statistics/#:~:text=Cyber%20attacks%20happen%20once%20every,websites%20are%20hacked%20each%20day." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">39</a> seconds, a cyber-attack happens somewhere in the world.As cyber threats grow, cybersecurity professionals are looking to new technologies like blockchain and quantum computing to strengthen protection. These technologies have the potential to greatly improve cybersecurity measures, allowing for more secure and efficient data and system protection.&nbsp;<h2>Blockchain to Block Crime</h2>Blockchain technology is best known for its use in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum, but there are many uses for this technology outside of crypto.&nbsp;One huge advantage for cybersecurity, blockchain can be used to generate a secure and tamper-proof record of transactions and data exchanges. By recording unalterable transactions, businesses can build a transparent and trustworthy system for documenting and validating data transactions, which can be especially valuable in supply chain management and identity verification.Smart contracts are another cybersecurity blockchain tool. Smart contracts are self-executing contracts in which the contents of the buyer-seller agreement are directly put into lines of code. These could be used for paying employees every Friday, for vehicle registration after purchasing a car, or even buying a ticket to a conference.Organizations use smart contracts to automate and streamline key areas of cybersecurity, such as access restrictions and permission management, cutting out the need for an intermediary.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Computing Against Fraud</h2>Unlike traditional computers that are restricted in their processing abilities, quantum computers do functions at exponentially faster speeds and with far less energy usage than conventional computers.This agility makes quantum computers valuable for complicated cybersecurity applications.One of the most promising uses of quantum computing in cybersecurity is cryptography. It involves transforming messages or data into a code while preventing unauthorized parties from understanding the message even if they intercept it. Researchers are working on quantum-resistant cryptography that can withstand quantum computer assaults.Cryptography can be used in a wide variety of applications, from securing financial transactions to enabling secure communication between individuals or organizations. It is essential for keeping sensitive information safe from hackers and malicious actors.&nbsp;<h2>An Army of Cyber Pros</h2>Since 2020, the demand for cybersecurity professionals has increased by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.technojobs.co.uk/info/career-advice/the-growing-demand-for-cyber-security-professionals-in-2022.phtml#:~:text=Over%20the%20past%20year%2C%20the,increased%20risk%20of%20cyber%2Dattacks." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">60%</a>. The Covid-19 pandemic led many industries to hyper-digital transformations. With more data and sensitive information circulating online or in the cloud, there is an increased risk of cyber-attacks, creating a need for more professionals who can help address the evolving cyber landscape.While new technologies like blockchain, quantum computing, and AI advance, cybersecurity professionals need to upskill. Cybersecurity engineers, analysts, and architects, while leveraging these technologies for cybersecurity measures, must also be aware of how new tech can be used for more advanced cyber-attacks.&nbsp;<h2>The Human Factor</h2>Implementing new tech solutions or hiring a cybersecurity professional can help enormously against attacks. However, studies have shown that&nbsp;<a href="https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Global_Risks_Report_2022.pdf">95%</a> of cybersecurity breaches happen because of human error.&nbsp;Businesses can help protect themselves from the most basic cyber-attacks by teaching employees simple skills like using strong passwords and multi-factor authenticators, learning to recognize phishing scams, and keeping software up to date. Yearly cybersecurity training and awareness programs can go a long way to avoid company-wide breaches.&nbsp;<h2>Protecting Our Digital Future</h2>Overall, blockchain and quantum computing technologies have the potential to greatly improve cybersecurity measures. While these technologies are still in their early phases of development, they are already being employed in real-world applications. They will most certainly play a crucial part in protecting the digital environment of the future.We’ll be discussing these trends and more at VivaTech this June.&nbsp;<a href="https://app.vivatechnology.com/content/conference-tracks-cybersecurity" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Check out</a> which cybersecurity specialists will be on stage this year.&nbsp;And don’t forget to&nbsp;<a href="https://vivatechnology.com/get-your-pass$1ca=FPN4KESE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">book your pass</a>! &nbsp;

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