Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the World Wide Web in 1989, has been announced as a special guest for the upcoming Wmf - We Make Future festival. The event marks the eleventh edition of this international fair and festival dedicated to technological and digital innovation, taking place at the Rimini Fair from June 15 to 17. Organized by Search On Media Group with support from the Emilia-Romagna region, the platform aims to launch initiatives toward the future.
The festival is expected to host more than 1,000 speakers from around the globe. Alongside Berners-Lee, the lineup includes Manuel Castells, a Spanish sociologist and politician recognized as a leading analyst of the digital revolution, and Jerry Kaplan, a Stanford University professor and artificial intelligence expert. Organizers anticipate an attendance of 60,000 visitors from 85 countries, alongside 550 exhibitors and over 1,300 startups and investors. The schedule also features 90 training stages.
A central theme of Wmf 2023 is the application of artificial intelligence. Cosmano Lombardo, Founder and CEO of Search On Media Group and the creator of Wmf, stated that the event continues a long-term path to understand how to use technology and AI to positively impact society. He noted that this year's edition will be dense with events involving experts, institutions, and research centers from around the world specifically focused on AI.
The fair will span ten pavilions showcasing robotics, experimental technological devices, and attractions such as Sophia, a humanoid robot combining advanced robotics and AI. Additionally, Gravity Jet Suit will perform flight demonstrations. The main stage will host discussions bridging current affairs and future trends, while the musical program, under the artistic direction of Roy Paci, will feature artists including Dardust and Dargen D'Amico.
Lombardo emphasized that Wmf aims to establish Italy and Emilia-Romagna as a capital of international innovation. This goal is supported by delegations of startups from 80 countries presenting entrepreneurial projects to address future challenges, including the climate crisis which has recently affected the host region. The event will also contribute to the flood-stricken territory through fundraising efforts facilitated by the manifestation and the global actors attending.
Sources: ANSA Tecnologia.