10 Highlights from DLD Circular and AI Summits 2023: Where Circular Economy Meets Artificial Intelligence

Author: Elena Vrabie

The Circularity Gap Report 2023 unveils that only 7% of the global economy is currently circular. This statistic implies reliance on new materials and raises questions about the destination of the remaining 90%+. Can trendy technologies like AI offer innovative solutions? These were the central topics explored at the DLD Conference Circular and AI Summits, held on September 6th and 7th in Munich, Germany.

To kick off the new season with inspiration, Burda's international innovation conference assembled more than 400 attendees from across the globe, including the U.K., U.S., France, Spain, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg, as well as representatives with Bulgarian and Romanian origins. During two bright autumn days, over 50 speakers delved into diverse subjects, spanning design, literature, biodiversity, novel materials, and advanced technologies.

"We have come together today to discuss how an economic system could run in a closed cycle, just like in nature, and to look for solutions to put this idea into practice," said Steffi Czerny, Managing Director at DLD Media.

Steffi Czerny , also serving as the DLD Conference curator, inaugurated both days by emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between the circular economy and AI, urging inspiration from nature, asking more questions, and a transition from “binge-watching” to “getting into action”.

Yossi Vardi, DLD Chairman, evoked nostalgia, reminding us that the circular economy is not a new concept; it was the norm in his childhood. The idea of transforming yesterday's leftovers into today's lunch is a powerful metaphor for moving away from consumerism and fast profits, towards sustainability that impacts society and the environment.

While the Summits facilitated open knowledge exchange about various challenges, including fires, soil degradation due to monoculture farming, and swift regulatory changes, it became evident that there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Just as having a powerful tool in our pockets - the mobile phone - didn't resolve global hunger or reduce pollution, as one speaker noted.

Numerous speakers underscored the importance of human intelligence, advocating for a balance between technological innovation and friendly regulations. The concept of the sandbox, which encourages experimentation in a controlled environment, was a recurring theme. The central premise is that humans have predominantly been on a "take" mission, and now it's imperative to embark on a "listen, create, and give back" journey, with technology as an enabler.

Explore the 10 key insights from the DLD Circular and AI Summits 2023:

#1 Circular Goals | "In Munich, we are trying to achieve an ambitious goal. We would like to become a fully carbon-neutral city by 2035," declared Katrin Habenschaden , Mayor of Munich. She emphasized the vital role of collaboration between government, citizens, and industries in addressing climate challenges and fostering innovation. Her vision entails crafting cities that are walkable, livable, and environmentally conscious, with an emphasis on affordable public transportation and mixed residential areas. This endeavor also includes developing a comprehensive circular economy action plan involving all stakeholders and extending the mission to other European cities.

#2 AI Regulations | Bulgarian Eva Maydell (Paunova) , a Member of the European Parliament, shared that AI is a transformational technology that has the potential to both benefit and harm society, which is why it’s so important to ensure that the AI Act is tailored to high-risk use cases. This requires it to be flexible enough to adapt fast to the latest advances so that it does not stifle innovation.

“We cannot be playing Whack-a-Mole. Instead, we need to be developing an underlying set of principles and mechanisms that are effective regardless of the next big thing that comes around the corner." - Eva Maydell, Member of the EU Parliament

#3 AI Sandbox | Ian Goldin , Professor of Globalization and Development at Oxford Martin School and author of "Age of the City," introduced the concept of fostering a growth-oriented mindset and promoting human-machine collaboration in establishing a regulatory sandbox. This environment enables SMEs to test AI systems under real conditions, preventing overregulation that can hinder growth.

#4 Moving to a No Waste Model | Martijn Lopes Cardozo , CEO of Circle Economy , an organization dedicated to supporting companies in transitioning to a circular economy model, discussed nature's influence on this model. Nature's ability to generate no waste, in contrast to humanity's "take, make, use, waste" approach, serves as inspiration. Cardozo presented four major interventions across global sectors, such as food, mobility, consumables, and real estate, encapsulated as "narrow, slow, regenerate, and cycle."

#5 Raw Materials | The concept of the 5th Industrial Revolution, characterized by sustainability and human-centered approaches, emerged during the Summit. While some speakers encouraged reimagining recycling for specific domains, due to its limitations, the importance of addressing critical raw materials remained a focal point. Sarah Fleischer , co-founder of tozero , a lithium-ion battery recycling startup, highlighted Europe's reliance on critical materials from China and proposed a solution involving the reclamation and reuse of materials from batteries.

#6 Standardization | During the fashion industry panel, discussions revolved around new EU regulations designed to guide cities in promoting reuse, exemplified by the revised municipality's Textile Waste Act. Standardization aims to bring stability to the region. Speakers, like Katrin Ley , Managing Director at Fashion for Good , emphasized the necessity of a unified ecosystem that views circularity as a business opportunity rather than a burden for entrepreneurs.

#7 Synergies | Cooperation, rather than competition, emerged as a predominant theme in the agricultural panel. Unpredictability can only be effectively managed within a healthy ecosystem. Just as there exists synergy between plants and soil, similar synergy must be cultivated between the planet and humanity, as well as between humans and technology.

#8 Building AI | Although AI is not a “hype”, “like crypto” - a speaker joked, entrepreneurs are encouraged to build it with the idea of putting people, the planet, and prosperity first.

#9 Media and AI | Martin Weiss , CEO of Hubert Burda Media , joked that in a decade there will be no AI CEO because AI will be too smart to want the job of a CEO. Joke aside, AI will become the new norm in the following five years, and one cannot jump on a fast train then. Martin mentioned that curation is the key to finding the answer to “What does the consumer want versus accept?”, because in a “tsunami of BS”, a successful brand will rely on trust, which will lead to a willingness to pay.

#10 AI Content | Last, but definitely not least, Romanian Dan Oros , CEO of Creatopy , an automation tool that assists advertisers and creatives in producing content efficiently, took the stage. He talked about feedback loops and algorithm-centric design for creating AI-driven products that continuously improve based on user interactions, as well as personalized ads with privacy considerations.?