We're happy to announce that the agenda is finalized and ready for Google Cloud's dedicated AI stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, bringing together other industry-specific stages such as fintech, SaaS, and space under one big roof.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 wouldn't be complete without a deep dive into all things artificial intelligence, so here's the final agenda for the AI Stage, which runs all day on Wednesday, October 30. The TechCrunch stage will feature industry startups like Perplexity, Meta, Hugging Face, and Zoox, as well as academics, thought leaders, and partners like Nebius AI, MongoDB, HP, and Thomson Reuters.
Agenda for the AI stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024
How generative AI is flooding the web with misinformation
Imran Ahmed (CCDH), Brandy Noneke (University of California, Berkeley), Pamela San Martin (Supervisory Committee)
As generative AI tools become more widely available, they are less costly or even free to use, but a variety of actors, including nation states, are exploiting them to create deepfakes and spread disinformation online. In this session, experts will discuss the types of deepfakes currently circulating on the web and how to combat this threat.
“Open” AI vs. “Closed” AI — which is really better?
Ali Farhadi (Allen Institute for AI), Eileen Solaiman (Hugging Face), Shane Witnoff (Meta)
There's a war going on in the AI industry between proponents of open source AI models (models released under permissive licenses that can be tweaked and reused for different applications) and proponents of closed source models (restricted by paid services and APIs). Which approach is better? The answer is not as clear as you might think.
The AI cloud race: What's going on behind the scenes
Sponsor: Nebius AI
Co-authored with Roman Chernin (Nebius AI)
The rapidly growing AI market is not only giving rise to new AI startups, but also encouraging the emergence of specialized vendors. Competition among cloud providers in the AI space is fierce. Roman shares how Nebius navigates this competition, what is driving the company's rapid growth, and what it takes to support AI disruptors.
Zoox's AI Wheel
Jesse Levinson
Before generative AI gained traction, the burgeoning self-driving car tech industry was home to many machine learning and AI experts. After 10 years in the industry, Zoox co-founder and CTO Jesse Levinson is now gearing up his Amazon-owned self-driving car company for its next big adventure.
Navigating AI's legal and ethical danger zones
Aleksandra Pedraszewska (ElevenLabs), Sarah Myers-West (AI Now), Jinnah Chan (Cara)
The rapid development of AI is creating new ethical dilemmas and exacerbating old ones, sparking a wave of litigation that threatens both emerging and established AI companies, as well as the creators and workers who inform their models. A panel of experts on AI, copyright, and ethics tackles this complex and rapidly evolving issue space.
What will AI governance look like today, tomorrow, and beyond?
Elizabeth Kelly (U.S. Department of Commerce) and Scott Wiener (California Senator)
AI development is moving at a breakneck pace, but how fast is too fast? In this roundtable discussion, Elizabeth Kelly, director of the National AI Safety Institute, and California Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the architect of California's controversial AI safety bill, SB 1047, discuss the need to balance AI innovation with safety measures.
From search engines to knowledge engines: Perplexity's rapid progress towards an AI-curated web
Aravind Srinivas (Perplexity)
Perplexity's AI-powered search engine may or may not be the next step in how we interact with the web and knowledge in general. But the company is sure to take every risk to make that future a reality, even if it means making a few ripples along the way. Let's hear from the CEO about how the company plans to take on any challengers in this new tech space.
But is it art? The evolving role of generative AI in music and video production
Amit Jain (Luma AI), Mikey Shulman (Suno), Kakul Srivastava (Splice)
Generative AI is becoming increasingly capable of creating videos, music, and other media on demand. But who actually wants it, and why? This panel of AI startups discusses the growing market for generative media and how to deliver it without harming or displacing the artists it claims to empower.
About TechCrunch Disrupt 2024
TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 is where you'll find innovation at every stage of your startup journey. Whether you're a budding founder with a revolutionary idea, a seasoned startup looking to scale, or an investor looking for the next big thing, TechCrunch Disrupt provides unparalleled resources, connections, and expert insights to propel your venture forward. This year's event will bring together more than 10,000 startup, tech, and VC leaders from October 28-30 at Moscone West in San Francisco.
We can't wait to hear from AI leaders at this year's show, so grab your tickets here before admission prices increase.