Innovators ROUNDUP

Recently attended an exclusive 8-hour workshop titled "The Future of Commerce," hosted by The Texas Immersive Institute, which convened leading minds from both industry and academia to explore and debate how technology is reshaping business practices. The invite-only event attracted participants from prominent companies such as Adobe, PWC, METATAILOR, and Minero, among others.

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Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to interact with groundbreaking technologies including AI, the metaverse, and blockchain. Notable demonstrations included Adobe's Firefly, a generative AI tool; Coralverse Estates, a platform for digital real estate; and Uneeq's Digital Humans, which showcased lifelike virtual beings.

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The workshop featured insightful panel discussions with esteemed speakers such as Kelley Knutson, former President of Netspend; Chris Duffey, Adobe’s Director of Strategic Development for Emerging Solutions; Cristina Diaz, CEO of Minero; and Jordan Henry, Co-Founder of Hologress. They shared their perspectives on preparing businesses for technological advancements and offered insights into defining the metaverse.

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A highlight of the event was an engaging activity on the ethics of technology and commerce. Participants were prompted to take a stand as "agree," "disagree," or "neutral" on controversial statements such as, "Businesses are allowed to use your data however they want if they compensate you for it" and "All products should prioritize accessibility for all, even if it slightly reduces their efficiency or makes the product less effective." This exercise sparked heated debates and fostered a rich dialogue among the attendees.