In 2022, AmCham is celebrating its 60th anniversary with a year full of celebratory and notable events. Leading up to the big anniversary event of May 25, AmCham will host a series of (breakfast) sessions in collaboration with content partners of the 60th Anniversary Celebration.
On February 24, the third (breakfast) session of the ‘Good Morning! Start Your Day with AmCham!’ series took place, in collaboration with Google. The topic discussed was Corporate-SME Collaboration.
Since the creation of the World Wide Web in the late 1980s, there have been a few pivotal moments that have led to a massive acceleration of digitization. There has never been a time when technology could help more people, communities, businesses and countries, than during the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of technology offers countries, businesses and consumers, enormous potential for rapid, inclusive and sustainable growth that works for everyone. But these opportunities also come with new responsibilities and for that, the right set of digital skills, traffic rules and tools is needed. Martijn Bertisen, Country Director of Google Netherlands, explored the power of digital tools and skills for entrepreneurs in the Netherlands and the role of technology in moving towards a better future.
During the session, Martijn Bertisen was asked about his vision for the next five to ten years by Marc ter Haar, Executive Director of AmCham, who hosted the event. Martijn Bertisen sees the next technological wave will revolve around Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its role in society. For the Netherlands, as a digital frontrunner, the acceleration of technology has the potential to have a significant economic impact and can help in addressing societal challenges. It could, for example, contribute to the development of a path towards sustainability or carbon neutrality, which will be impossible without investing in technology and digitalization. A challenge associated with technology and AI is in bringing everyone along and ensuring that no one is left behind. While AI is extremely exciting, only 20% of SMEs have identified a useful application for their business. What is critical in this process is establishing the technology's trustworthiness. Google has established guidelines for responsible use of artificial intelligence. Another important issue is how people acquire the necessary skills to use AI, which will take years to develop.
AmCham expresses its sincere gratitude to Martijn Bertisen for sharing his expertise on the topic.
The webinar has been recorded and can be accessed here if you were unable to attend or wish to relive it.
