University of Naples Federico II, new San Giovanni Campus
Wednesday 12 July 2017 from 8am to 2pm
Eastwest Forum, a high-level international conference organized by the geopolitical magazine Eastwest on The Digital Challenges to be held in Naples on 12 July 2017.
This year’s Eastwest forum aims to contribute to the European and international debate on the opportunities offered by digitalization and its potential impact on the organisation of labour and the shaping of our society through thoughtful and open minded discussions among experts, stakeholders and social changers.
Access to internet as a human right
Internet is synonymous with the digital revolution and how it moves forward will determine, as we all know, the future of our societies. In these rather troubling times, when countries seem to want to crawl back into their shell, the issue of a free and inclusive internet has become even more important, while there is plenty of concern over possible distortions of its usage made to promote false and deceptive information and news.
Algorithms and Democracy
There are many issues on the table.
How Big Data and Big Platforms could end up controlling the planet, and this has serious ethical and moral implications.
A world partnership has to study and address the risks posed by the human-robot relationship: security, democracy, algorithms and free will. The positive impact of AI in our daily life will depend on the quality of the algorithms.
How business models are now hiring philosophers as well scientists; content, not just code, is needed in a livable digital world.
Digitalization and the world of employment/labour.
A revolution in the employment scenario. Can a Universal Basic Income provide a solution? New business models are needed to enhance opportunities rather than loss of jobs.
Europe has an important role to play in this challenge that requires a mutual international regulation.
THE LOCATION
Silicon Valley comes to Naples: Apple opens its Italian academy.
The crumbling apartment buildings, the walls covered in graffiti or death notices, and the ubiquitous clotheslines draped outside people’s windows do not give the impression this particular neighbourhood is a technological hub.
San Giovanni a Teduccio, a downtrodden suburb of Naples is a far cry from Silicon Valley.
And yet it is right here – in this corner of the Neapolitan sprawl that has never quite recovered since a tomato-packing factory shut down in the 1980s – that the Apple chief executive, Tim Cook, hopes the best and brightest young minds in the world will come to develop into leaders in the new app economy.
A nine-month course, offered free of charge following a joint investment of about 10m euros by Apple and the Federico II University of Naples.
The academy will be housed in the gleaming new glass-faced buildings that are in stark contrast to the rest of the neighbourhood.
The large, open-plan classrooms were designed by Apple. Small groups of students will sit around tables equipped with special acoustic systems so the teachers can communicate with each table separately about their work. All courses are taught in English and are open to students from all over.
Eastwest Forum, a high-level international conference organized by the geopolitical magazine Eastwest on The Digital Challenges to be held in Naples on 12 July 2017.
This year’s Eastwest forum aims to contribute to the European and international debate on the opportunities offered by digitalization and its potential impact on the organisation of labour and the shaping of our society through thoughtful and open minded discussions among experts, stakeholders and social changers.
