It is without doubt one of the largest festivals of its variety in Europe.

Since 2007, Re:publica has been held yearly within the German capital Berlin.

Round 25,000 individuals are anticipated to attend this yr’s occasion to debate all points of the digitalisation of the world.

“Re:publica is Europe’s largest digital convention on the digital society,” says Re:publica co-founder Markus Beckendahl.

“Over the subsequent three days, we are able to anticipate 1,800 audio system in over 800 totally different periods, bringing to the stage probably the most various debates and problems with an evolving digital society, and reflecting on the sort of society we need to stay in collectively.”

This yr’s theme is “Who cares?” A play on phrases with a critical message.

Organizers need to folks to start out interested by questions like: who will maintain the aged sooner or later? Who cares that society works?

And above all these considerations and questions there may be one primary theme – synthetic intelligence (AI).

“The substitute intelligence revolution is right here. Many instruments enrich our lives,” says Beckendahl.

“However AI can also be at the moment resulting in a focus of energy in fewer and fewer fingers or corporations. And we have to discover methods to democratise AI.”

Organisations from all around the world are represented on the competition, together with Digital Innovation in Pandemic Management (DIPC).

The organisation is attempting to use the teachings discovered throughout the pandemic to well being points world wide.

Monica Amponsah is the venture coordinator in Ghana.

“How can we ethically make sure that all of the alternatives that AI has to supply assist enhance the well being of individuals world wide,” she asks.

The yr 2024 has been dubbed the “tremendous election yr”, with elections within the EU, the US, India, South Africa, the UK and plenty of different international locations.

There may be nice concern that AI might be used to unfold disinformation and undermine the democratic course of.

Matthias Heider is a disinformation researcher on the Institute for Democracy and Society (IDZ) in Jena, Germany.

“Particularly relating to disinformation, particularly in election years, you possibly can in fact all the time see makes an attempt to undermine democratic processes and fire up extra hatred,” he says.

“However AI may have a constructive impact right here. We are able to merely assist moderators on communities and platforms to determine hate rapidly and take swift motion in opposition to it, which may additionally assist these affected.”

The Re:publica digital competition opened on 27 Might and runs till 29 Might.

Further sources • AP