The President of HELEXPO S.A., Mr. Tasos Tzikas, welcomed the Minister of Digital Governance, Mr. Dimitris Papastergiou, who inaugurated this year's BEYOND, marking the beginning of the event.

“Something very important is happening in Greece” the Minister stated from the stage of BEYOND in Thessaloniki, emphasizing that by working together, we can achieve much more. Finally, he expressed his belief that artificial intelligence is the next frontier of technology.

The President of HELEXPO S.A., Mr. Tasos Tzikas, expressed excitement about increase in attendance at this year's event, confirming the success of BEYOND. He also emphasized the goal of showcasing Greece as a hub for technology and innovation and Thessaloniki as a pioneer in the technology sector.

On behalf of the co-organizers, Mr. Evangelos Charalambous, Managing Director of Be-best, stated, "This year, we set the bar very high. This event will be the reference point for technology and innovation in Southeastern Europe."

Mr. Michalis Stagos, Co-founder of the Industry Disruptors Game-Changers Organization, underscored that "What begins today is an opportunity to bring the right partners from abroad who will promote innovation in Europe."

Intracom - Telecom and OKTABIT, gold sponsors of BEYOND, were present at the Inauguration Ceremony, expressing their support for the exhibition. Mr. Dimitris Papaioannou, representing OKTABIT, emphasized that they could not miss out on this effort.

During the first day, prominent speakers shared their views and highlighted the role of AI in healthcare, agriculture and smart cities, promoting innovative policies and practices for the future. Overall, during the parallel events of the first day of BEYOND, we had the opportunity to hear different perspectives and concerns regarding the impact of AI on various sectors of society and the economy. The importance of AI and smart technologies in the smooth transition to the 3D world was emphasized, as well as the need for the creation of an international legislative framework aimed at the security and management of the social challenges that may arise. We also had the opportunity to attend discussions on the challenges and possibilities of open communities and ecosystems, as well as the need for advanced policies.

Regarding healthcare, the development of Artificial Intelligence highlights the need for technological advancement in the field as it can significantly contribute to improving data management. Through discussion, we had the opportunity to understand the importance of data quality for making informed decisions in healthcare, as well as the utilization of real-world data in healthcare research and the need to ensure the security and anonymity of this data. Additionally, the need for digitizing hospitals and consolidating health data to provide quality services to citizens was discussed, with an emphasis on the positive impact of modern technology on healthcare management and medical practice.

In the agricultural sector, the discussion focused on the impact of AI on the food industry. Speakers from the business world highlighted agricultural innovation and the utilization of Artificial Intelligence in areas such as crop protection, animal behavior analysis to optimize their maintenance processes on farms and robotics in fields for fruit picking. The need for using reliable data to enhance the effectiveness of AI algorithms was emphasized, as well as the conversion of this data into actionable insights. Furthermore, the use of AI in promoting the Mediterranean diet and entrepreneurship was discussed. This discussion helped us understand that the contribution of AI promises significant improvements, but achieving these results requires coordinated efforts and collaboration of all involved parties.

At BEYOND, we had the opportunity to attend an interesting discussion on integrating AI into the creation of smart cities, which brings innovative solutions and improves quality of life. Among other things, the importance of organization and planning in municipalities through the use of modern digital tools for urban management and data collection to better serve citizens was highlighted. Additionally, reference was made to projects funded by the Recovery Fund, which are expected to enhance municipal infrastructure and improve quality of life, while at the same time, the need for implementing comprehensive plans to address challenges such as disaster management and climate change was emphasized.

The 275 exhibitors participating in BEYOND this year proved that technology knows no bounds. With pioneering ideas, original initiatives, and advanced technological innovations that radically change the world, they captivated us with their intelligence and incredible creativity. This is just the beginning of our journey into the world of Artificial Intelligence, as BEYOND continues for another two days until April 27, 2024.

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At BEYOND, we will have the opportunity to meet and take photos with Sophia The Robot, the famous Artificial Intelligence robot. She will be at the booth of the Region of Central Macedonia on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27 and will participate in various discussions and panels, including the AI FORUM, the largest Artificial Intelligence conference in Greece. Sophia The Robot invites us to explore the future of AI! Let’s not miss this opportunity!

BEYOND is organized by TIF – HELEXPO, Be-Best and Industry Disruptors Game Changers (IDGC) with co-organizers the Ministry of Digital Governance, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE) and the Municipality of Thessaloniki.

It is held under the auspices of the Ministry of the Interior (Macedonia-Thrace Sector), the Ministry of Tourism and the Panhellenic Union of General Secretaries of Local Government "Kleisthenis".

Gold sponsors of the event are INTRACOM TELECOM and OKTABIT and sponsors are MYTILINEOS, AVOCADO, POLITIS TECHNOLOGIES, AI LABS BY UBITECH and QUEST GROUP.

Supporters of BEYOND are SEPE, SEPBE, SEKEE. AGE, AIC, SOFTONE and AXAPTA MASTERS.