Scotland’s Emphasis, Focus and Advantage on Data, Technology, AI & Innovation: Maximising the Value Added- Observations from Data Summit 2019

Scotland really is leading the way! As part of #Scotland’s annual DataFest, the Data Summit 2019 Conference took place in #Edinburgh on 21- 22nd March and was packed full of eye-opening sessions from speakers at the cutting edge of data driven innovation. #DataTogether

Had two brilliant days and great fun at #DataFest2019 #DataSummit19 in #Edinburgh. All the guest speakers were truly amazing! Big learning from incredible people……… a packed #AssemblyRooms audience had the pleasure of meeting wonderful talents listening to the experience of multiple brilliant speakers highlighting the lurking threats of #data such as mass surveillance- #StephanieHare or the shocking first-hand experience of data misuse presented by whistle-blower- #ChristopherWylie and #networking with diverse interest people under one roof. A multitude of ethical questions were raised by these messages and illustrated the importance of permission of data and biometrics, critical thinking and information evaluation.

A surprise element was to the program visit and address by First Minister (FM) #NicolaSturgeon. #FM said ‘using data ethically should not be seen as a barrier to using data effectively’. Also #FM at #datasummit19 did not stop short of pointing out that ‘Scotland is the best place in the UK to do data and digital’ and how #innovative Scotland is in #technology thus rightly so #Edinburgh aims to be the data capital of Europe’. #FM’s call to all #women working with #data was ‘get out there and sell the world changing potential of what data can do’. You know we have truly arrived as a Country when a political leader especially First Minister discusses ‘handling implicit bias in data’ with expert delegates!

#DrMaggieAderinPocock’s story, whose passion and admiration about Science & Technology is truly infectious was inspirational. If you do not have a route of entry then follow your passion and create and adapt for an opportunity was her message to deal with challenges and overcoming barriers in life and to success.

#DrSueBlack kept the #WomenInTech real and set the bar high with dedication and her passion #SavingBletchleyPark. Such diverse great tech role models! #CassieKozyrkov , #ProfMellisaTerras #LibertyVittert, #JoannaBryson, …….. just to name a few ... #WomenInSTEM. #AnneBruinvels founder of #PxHealthcare laid out her solution to managing #Health challenges, #data thought leader #SallyEaves pointed to some urgent global challenges #SDGs, #PWC #AI Director #RobMcCargow’s called to involve children in planning and decision making, economist #DanielSusskind discussed issue of automation & #MachineLearning. Silicon Valley early stage investor #ChrisNeumann, #EdinburghUniversity #DDI’s #JarmoEskelinen, #SusanRamonat & #DataLab’s #BrianHills discussed & fielded questions from audiences on how #Scotland can become a true leader in the application of Artificial Intelligence #AI in a closing panel.

Congratulations and big thanks to #GillianDocherty and her #Team at #TheDatalab for organising this fantastic event. Well done to #FutureX Team & #AssemblyRoom AV Team for super efficiently handling all the operational logistic challenges. Such a wonderful host #MaggiePhilbin kept the whole transition between speakers and sessions smooth as silk! Glad to see #ScottishGovernment and #ScottishEnterprise as event supporters.

It became clear over two days that six strategies employed by companies, businesses and leaders to survive and thrive should be: 1. Innovation 2. Technology 3. Collaboration 4. Diversification 5. Export 6. Optimisation.

To move forward and conquer the future with robots and AI around us - what we have to get our heads around is “foresighting demand need” and “operational demand need”. Industry can learn & benefit from variety of collaboration and Partnerships. Getting a deeper understanding of the power of what machines can and can not do with repeated learning- will prepare us better to carve out our future!

Like everything involved with change management at the bottom of it ......it is all about 'people'! People's will to collaborate, to innovate, to respond timely to changing external demands and resilience to volatile and uncertain drivers, to make it easier for other people to learn, to come together, to share and discuss ideas, people's willingness and motivation to support others by making set up easier. #FutureIsBright..... Bring on 2020.............