Board members as “humans in the loop”? Navigating innovation, risk and responsibility in the age of AI.

GUBERNA’s National Member Forum 2023 will explore the challenges that the continuing rise of AI poses for to the strategy, leadership and monitoring role of directors. AI promises to revolutionise the kind of information that is supplied to your board, the kind of the products or services that your organization offers to the market (affecting your core strategy), and creates new risks to be assessed by the board. We have invited two keynote speakers and three industry experts for a subsequent panel discussion that will help our members better understand the strategic opportunities, risks, and limitations of AI.

You can already register by clicking here. 

Two keynote speakers will deliver their critical perspective on this topic. Prof. Rob Heyman (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, imec-SMIT, VUB Knowledge Centre on Data & Society) has in-depth experience in industry-driven projects and the societal impact of new technologies. He will address the link between AI ethics and how to translate these to an organization's strategic objectives. Cristina Caffara (Keystone Europe, University College London, CEPR Competition Research Policy Network) will focus on the market context surrounding AI and emerging antitrust issues. Given that part of the reason for the current AI hype can be explained by the support these technologies enjoy by some of the largest global information technology companies, she can help to situate these developments in their broader industrial context.

Our two keynote speakers will be joined by Florence Bosco, David Dab and Katrin Geyskens for a panel discussion on the opportunities and risks of AI, and what responsibilities this may imply for directors. Florence Bosco (CEO Brussels South BioPark, CEO Akina Pharmaceuticals, Steering Committee Member EU Biotech Campus in Gosselies, Biotech Business Developer for Quantum Biospace) brings a long career in AI and biotech to the table, and can offer us insights in how AI has been revolutionizing biotech for many years, and how a vibrant ecosystem in biotech start-ups and scale-ups is emerging. David Dab (National Technology Officer at Microsoft Belux) will offer his view on the strategic opportunities these technologies offer, and the role of Microsoft in this field. Katrin Geyskens (Partner and member Executive Committee Capricorn Partners) will offer insights on how VCs look at this space.

We are confident this year’s National Member Forum will help directors anticipate the various strategic opportunities AI offers, but also help them prepare better for the numerous risks associated with AI, including cybersecurity, reputational risks, and regulatory compliance.