Unlike its single-sense cousins, multi-modal AI can read text, interpret images, and even decipher the nuances of audio and video, weaving them into a tapestry of understanding as intricate as our own.

Imagine you're walking into a store. AI "sees" your subtle expressions, analyzing emotional cues. Your browsing history and product interactions are seamlessly integrated, painting a detailed picture of your preferences. But that's not all. It also "listens" to your whispered questions and "reads" your thoughts, and "displays" a customized video. This isn't a futuristic dream; it's the power of multi-modal AI in action.

Imagine a scenario where AI, analyzing mountains of data, recommends a bold marketing campaign, promising immediate traction but potentially clashing with your brand's established identity. Does the allure of swift results blind you to the potential erosion of trust and long-term brand value? In this fast-paced consumer landscape, when there is a huge load of talking on "AI boosting efficiency by multiple times", can AI, devoid of human intuition, truly navigate the complexities of the market and guide effective decision-making, especially if it pushes toward faster, potentially lower-quality choices?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool that goes beyond eye-catching marketing campaigns. It drives organizational transformation, reshaping how businesses operate. As business leaders, we face challenges: bridging skills gaps, ensuring AI enhances efficiency rather than replaces it, and looking beyond short-term ROI. Remember, AI provides the flight path, but you are the pilot.

AI comes with its own set of challenges, particularly in the realm of legal and ethical considerations. For instance, will an AI-driven personalized marketing campaign inadvertently perpetuate bias or exploit consumer privacy? Will AI-generated creative content arouse copyright concerns? How shall we consider proper transparency and accountability for AI-driven decisions? Experts from different walks of life will be invited for a panel discussion on these questions.

The days of one-size-fits-all marketing are fading faster than a fleeting trend. In today's hyper-connected world, consumers demand personalized experiences that resonate with their individual needs and desires. This is where Next-Gen MarTech steps in, no longer just about demographics, but with the power of AI and big data analytics, deep dives into individual preferences, buying habits, and even emotional triggers.

Forget endless tinkering and trial-and-error! AI is poised to revolutionize the world of flavor innovation, putting the combined expertise of a thousand data analysts in your pocket. Backed by 1.5 billion flavor profiles across 38 markets in the globe, Gastrograph AI is able to analyze taste profiles, ingredient combinations, and cultural trends at a pace beyond imagination to suggest flavor pairings you never thought possible and predict the next breakout hit - push the boundaries of what's considered "delicious".

Your shopping experience will be totally refreshed when you have an AI assistant on your shopping cart! It suggests items you regularly buy, reminding you of forgotten staples and highlighting new products based on your dietary preferences. It uses smart maps and real-time inventory data to guide you efficiently through the store, highlighting the location of your desired items. When you're ready to checkout, simply scan your items directly on the cart, eliminating the need for cashiers and speeding up the entire process. 

With the democratic power of AI, hackathons no longer serve developers alone. Imagine transforming a simple text description into a breathtaking graphic design, or weaving emotions and sounds into captivating videos. The GenAI-driven text-to-image models, as well as audio and video tools, have opened the gate to this magical world, letting your storytelling abilities reach new heights.

The potential of GenAI seems to be boundless: It can help generate new ideas, allow creators to explore uncharted territories, and generate novel scientific hypotheses to accelerate research breakthroughs. Will it be the catalyst for groundbreaking innovation, pushing the boundaries of creativity? Or it is a sophisticated copycat, churning out derivative works that resemble existing forms rather than forging new paths, which finally stifles genuine human creativity? How could we leverage the advantages of both AI and human beings?

On one side, the food industry is facing pressing challenges - climate change, global resource constraints, and shifting consumer preferences demand a leap forward; on the other, a lot of cutting-edge food technologies are rising, from precision fermentation to vertical farming, from AI-powered recipe creation to hyper-personalized dietary analysis - these can all be game-changers that will redefine the industry. How to navigate this food-tech revolution so that your brands not only survive but thrive in this brave new food world?

Food from CO2? Austrian biotech scaleup, Arkeon, tackles greenhouse gas emissions by converting carbon dioxide into essential protein ingredients through gas fermentation. The company produces all 20 amino acids directly from archaea microbes, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen — without agricultural inputs. This groundbreaking technology not only reduces heavy industry's environmental footprint via onsite carbon capture and utilization, but also promises a sustainable and cost-effective approach to food production.

Have you ever wondered if there could be a protein derived from mushroom roots (mycelium) underground with a natural "meat-like" structure and eco-friendly? With fermentation techniques, biotech company Infinite Roots creates mycelium protein that rivals animal protein in terms of nutrition, flavor, and texture. It uses minimal land, and water, producing 110x faster than traditional agriculture, cutting carbon footprint.

A decade ago, did you ever imagine that today sugar-free beverages would become the new favorite? Did you consider the possibility that snacks high in oil and sugar would be facing competition from functional snacks? Consumer demands are evolving at an increasingly rapid pace, and having foresight is the key to gaining a competitive edge. Givaudan utilizes the Customer Foresight platform to decipher the "code" of change, foresee industry opportunities in the future, and tailor forward-looking development strategies for businesses.

Imagine you are savouring a piece of delicious, nutritious meat, but it has come from a laboratory "petri dish". Food tech is transforming unattainable science fiction concepts into table fare. How do we realise the commercial potential of new technologies and take them from the lab to the table of millions of families?

As the largest beer brewer in Asia, how does AB InBev brew a sustainable future? AB InBev utilizes innovative energy-saving technologies to reduce water usage in beer brewing to one-third of the industry average. But that's not all! The greatness of a company lies not only in excelling itself but also in emphasizing "value co-creation". AB InBev assists suppliers in establishing carbon emission benchmarks, spreading the concept of sustainable development across every production stage.

Plastic degradation has long been a formidable challenge in environmental protection, requiring high-temperature and high-pressure conditions and proved effective solely on pristine, dry plastics. However, with revolutionary photodegradation technology, plastics, even those contaminated with water, sugar, pigments, or labels, can now be easily degraded at normal temperature and pressure.

Unlike biomass materials from land, such as sugarcane and corn, seaweed can be easily grown on a small scale and harvested quickly. In addition to being more affordable, seaweed absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide as it grows. The material made of seaweed can rival HDPE or PP plastics in strength and is completely biodegradable.

From strategic planning to practical execution, Microsoft leverages AI for cross-industry innovation in sustainable development, aiding diverse sectors in overcoming challenges associated with sustainable practices. With the assistance of AI, businesses will find tasks such as understanding ESG principles, drafting ESG reports, and conducting carbon emission calculations to be significantly more efficient.

Technology will surely provide a solution to environmental problems such as carbon emissions and plastic pollution. What are the challenges to sustainability in business practice? What solutions does technology bring? Taking a look around the world, what advanced sustainable business models are worth learning from?