Austin Convention Center
Austin, Texas
November 2-3, 2022
Attendees: Not released
Exhibitors: 107
Sponsors: 35 (IoT World); 30 (AI Summit)
Speakers: 192
Media/Analysts: ~50
Calysto’s Take
IoT World took its show on the road to a new city this year – the growing technology hub of Austin, Texas. This year, the show joined forces with the AI Summit at the Austin Convention Center, November 2-3. The Quantum Computing Summit was co-located as well, with a somewhat separate audience and track.
The IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Applied Intelligence) events were a solid pairing as the technologies are complementary and intertwined. After all, it’s AI, along with companion technologies like Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning and Big Data Analytics, that makes sense of all the IoT connected device data and turns it into actionable business insights with real value.
If there was an underlying focus to the show, it was autonomy – as in smart vehicles. Making headlines were the debut of self-driving cabless trucks in China. Beep’s electric shuttles, Volvo’s electric SUV, and the expansion of Cruise’s robotax1 in San Francisco.
Together, the shows attracted C-Suite leaders, technical experts, industry analysts and decision-makers from a wide range of companies and institutions involved in AI and IoT adoption and development. Roughly, 70% of the participants were senior managers and above, according to the organizer.
In the past year, parent company Informa held three other in-person editions of the AI Summit & IoT World in London, Silicon Valley and New York. This latest event in Austin marks the 4th live edition.
As people continue to become more comfortable gathering face-to-face, attendance at these shows is rising. Several thousand attendees descended in Austin for the two-day event which was packed back-to-back with expert presentations from industry leaders, analyst workshops, panel discussions, informative sessions, lively roundtables and opportunities to network with other IoT and AI professionals.
A recently launched virtual component will be a mainstay moving forward. Remote participants were able to view selected sessions, interviews and the headliner presentations (live and on-demand) via Tech TV, a new streaming feature on aibusiness.com and iotworldtoday.com.
Meeting with and hearing from market analysts at Omdia was a big part of the overall event. Omdia experts delivered chairperson opening remarks each day and led as many as 10 panels and sessions covering big picture topics like the future of emerging tech, what’s next for 5G and how Edge Computing is shaping the future of IoT storage and computation. Panels and presentations also explored the practical side of these technologies for enterprises, discussing the tangible value that IoT and AI can bring to an organization and how to overcome the internal silos and mindset differences that are often the obstacles to running a “smarter” business. One-on-one analyst meetings, breakfast briefings and lunch & learn sessions gave additional time for networking and deeper discussion.
If you have a role and interest in the AI and IoT community, this event is for you. It features two full days of learning from nearly 200 speakers and networking with industry peers and experts from over 100 organizations and 10 countries – big names and start-ups alike. Among these: IBM, Verint, Hologram, TensorFlow, Supermicro, Qualcomm, Samsara and Siemens.
Kudos to the organizers for also reaching out to recently laid off technical and IT folks by offering 250 All Access Passes for free. Recipients got the full two-day experience at no cost – an excellent opportunity to make new connections and open some new doors.
Headliners & Content
A series of opening remarks and headliners kicked off each of the two days with leading experts speaking about IoT, AI, 5G and related emerging tech. The audience heard from the mayor of Austin and former NFL Player & College Hall of Famer Vince Young. International Chess Champion, Garry Kasparov, who famously played against an IBM super-computer back in the mid-90s, sat down for a fascinating chat with IBM to share perspectives on AI technology then and now. “This match, by the way, was a rematch. I won the first one,” Kasparov pointed out at the event. But, he said, reflecting on the pace of innovation at the time, Kasparov said a machine prevailing over human champions was “just a matter of time.” Now the pace of technology has advanced such that “today if you have a chess app on your phone it’s better than Deep Blue,” he said.
Afternoon sessions split off by AI/IoT and Quantum Computing interests. In the AI/IoT track, content ranged from broader topics like smart mobility, Edge AI, AI Ethics, Robotics and the future of work, IoT and environmental sustainability, but also real-world discussions about reducing emissions with AI and how to harness data for competitive advantage. City planners in Phoenix, Arizona are testing out cool pavement technology by using data from thermal ground sensors and other IoT components to measure and analyze pavement heat. The Phoenix Fire Department is trialing drones with infrared cameras to spot brush fires and rescue stranded hikers.
In an intriguing fireside chat, Brandon Branham, Chief Technology Officer and Assistant City Manager, Curiosity Lab – Peachtree Corners, and Chuck Martin, Editorial Director, AI & IoT – Informa Tech discussed the smart city testbed, Peachtree Corners in metro Atlanta. Tech innovators including Bosch, T-Mobile, Qualcomm, Delta Airlines, Cisco and UPS are testing and developing (for free) their IoT technologies and interconnected sensors, cameras and charging stations deployed in smart buildings, on connected roadways and in self-driving vehicles. This incubator of innovation is creating a blueprint for other smart cities of the future.
Sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) topics were top of mind within the content of presentations and sessions, but was also built into the features of the event itself. Conference organizers partnered with the City of Austin to decrease the environmental impact at the venue. This included renewable power supplied by Austin Entergy’s Green Choice Program, efforts to recycle/reuse/compost 50% of all waste and use of the city’s MetroRail and MetroBus stations to encourage travel sustainability.
Informa did bring an element of “virtual” to the event, making some content available online. Broadcast on IoT World Today and AI Business, Tech TV will stream exclusive interviews and presentations as well as what’s happening on the Headliner Stage featuring speakers from companies including IBM, Michelin, JetBlue and more.
Exhibition
The show floor was energized with more than 100 exhibits and cool demos like SQream’s live demo of complex AI/IoT data analytics and smart vineyards from Microtronics and Nordic Semiconductor.
A Booth Bar Crawl was a fun way to end each day and foster new business relationships in a more relaxed format.
Applied Intelligence Awards
The following were recognized for leadership and solutions:
- Dev Singh, Senior Director, Business Development and Head of Autonomous Robotics, Drones and Intelligent Machines, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. was recognized as “TECHNOLOGY LEADER OF THE YEAR”
- The award for “AI/IOT APPLICATION OF THE YEAR” went to Samsara – connected operations cloud for drivers. Distracted driving kills thousands of people in the U.S. annually. Through the use of IoT sensors, AI-enabled cameras, and a cloud platform, Samsara helps organizations prevent these incidents at scale. AI detections for behaviors such as phone usage, tailgating, and distracted driving trigger in-cab alerts to correct and coach driver behavior in real time, helping to prevent incidents before they occur. In a recent customer analysis, users of Samsara video-based safety and telematics solutions together saw a 63% decrease in crashes within the first 12 months.
- The POSITIVE IMPACT AWARD was a new category this year, recognizing an organization or individual making a difference in terms of sustainability and fairness in business, society and the environment. The winner was Dell Technologies, with the judges listing three reasons Dell earned the honor.
- The millions of pounds worth of sustainable, recycled and renewable materials used in products and packaging, especially last year’s launch of PCs containing tree-based bioplastic upcycled from the paper-making industry and ocean-bound plastic.
- The strong commitment that by 2030, Dell Technologies will reuse or recycle an equivalent product for every product purchased and that 100% of packaging and more than half of product content will be made from recycled or renewable material.
- The work being done in communities around the world to increase digital inclusion through access to technology, skills and collaborative networks that foster digital transformation and tech-enabled innovation.
Media & Analysts
Omdia analysts, of course, were a big part of the two-day show, as the event was presented by the Omdia CE and AI Research Teams. These groups – more than a dozen in total, shared their latest market research during presentations, roundtables and fireside chats. Attendees had plenty of opportunity for networking and additional discussions with Omdia experts in one-on-one analyst meetings, breakfast briefings and lunch & learn sessions. Coverage areas included AI, IoT, quantum computing and semiconductors, amount other things.
Informa’s own AI Business and IoT World Today publications were the “headline” media partners for the event, providing daily news coverage and the new live streaming feature, Tech TV. Remote participants could view selected sessions, interviews and the headliner stage on aibusiness.com and iotworldtoday.com.
Additional media partners included 5G Americas, Compass Intelligence, Dark Reading, Data Center Knowledge, Enter Quantum, IoT For All, Omdia, Smart Connections Consulting and AI Journal.
Next up: The AI Summit New York is next in this particular Informa series, taking place at the Javits Center in New York City, December 7-8, 2022. IoT is likely to be a big part of this show as well.
Articles of Interest
IoT World Austin 2022: Who Is Responsible for Holding AI Accountable?
IoT World Today
Bem Wodecki
November 4, 2022
IoT World Austin 2022: Kasparov, IBM Deep Blue Co-Creator Reflect on AI Advancements
IoT World Today
Deborah Yao
November 4, 2022
City of Phoenix Uses IoT to Improve Livability, Sustainability
IoT World Today
Scarlett Evans
November 4, 2022
Japan to Greenlight Self-Driving Vehicles in 2023
IoT World Today
Graham Hope
November 3, 2022
Tech TV Launching at IoT World Austin
IoT World Today
Scarlett Evans
October 26, 2022
5G Streetlights Installed at Peachtree Corners: Smart City USA
IoT World Today
Chuck Martin
October 20, 2022
Efficient AI means businesses can achieve more with less
AI Business
Ram Naidu
September 20, 2022
Peachtree Corners: Smart City USA
IoT World Today
Chuck Martin
October 17, 2022
IoT World 2022: Three Key Sessions Not to Miss
IoT World Today
Scarlett Evans
October 14, 2022
Embedded IoT Featured at IoT World in Austin
IoT World Today
Scarlett Evans
September 30, 2022
AI Summit Austin: Augmenting the fight against climate change
AI Business
Ben Wodecki
September 26, 2022
Editor’s picks: AI Summit and IoT World Austin
AI Business
Deborah Yao
September 15, 2022
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