Hosted by a different member each year, the meeting of the Global Standards Collaboration, GSC-22, was jointly organized by ISO and the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission). The two-day event attracted participants from around the world, with notable representation from those countries where information communication technology (ICT) is set to play an increasingly strong role in the economy.
The first day was dedicated to innovative presentations and lively panel discussions on the theme of smart sustainable cities. GSC members shared their views on standards relevant to cities that face substantial challenges in choosing suitable standards for their requirements. Recognizing the fast pace of technological evolution combined with rapidly growing populations, members encouraged continued discussion, particularly on the development of guidelines and standards to enable seamless data exchange and interoperability.
The second day focused on the rapid growth of AI, which is set to influence everything from the way we manufacture and distribute products, to healthcare, to the move from smart to intelligent phones. One of the inherent advantages of GSC is its global diversity. Participants provided the variety of perspectives needed to adequately consider the needs of countries at different levels of development.
The sessions on artificial intelligence were coordinated by Wael William Diab, a business and technology strategist from California’s Silicon Valley who also serves as the Chair of the group dedicated to AI within ISO and IEC’s joint technical group on information technology (ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42). Presentations and participative panel discussions from major industry players and standards development organizations brought to life the enormous possibilities for AI as well as giving specific consideration to potential issues related to security, privacy, trustworthiness, ethics, societal concerns and regulation
By Barnaby Lewis