Tech and business leaders gather for San Jose AI conference

At the Reuters Momentum AI Summit in San Jose, thought leaders from diverse industries convened Wednesday to explore the transformative potential and challenges posed by artificial intelligence.

The summit drew representatives from companies ranging from Coca-Cola to Verizon, all seeking to leverage AI's advancements.

Jacob McWilliam works with Autogen AI, a service focused on streamlining complex proposals. He was enthusiastic about AI's impact on his field.

"It was quite mind blowing. I was very excited to come on board and make an impact here," he explained.

Among the attendees are giants like Adobe, each eager to exchange insights and strategies as AI reshapes their respective landscapes.

Summit organizer Asif Naqvi emphasized the importance of cross-industry collaboration in adapting to AI's rapid evolution.

"The whole idea is to experiment, understand how they can adopt and use AI as part of their broader digital transformation journey," Naqvi said.

McWilliam underscored the universal relevance and importance of AI education, regardless of one's profession.

"Everyone is scared that AI will replace their job, and that's not true," he noted. "But what I do think is, someone who uses AI can replace someone who doesn't use AI, because they are going to be more productive."

While AI promises enhanced efficiency across sectors, concerns about security loom large.

Anupam Govil with the consulting company Avasant cautioned against the risks of misinformation and disinformation through technologies like bots and deep fakes.

"We are seeing increasing proliferation of deep fake news, and deep fake images and videos on all the social media platforms. So I think the guard rails and standards around it still have to catch up," Govil said.

Navigating the legal and ethical dimensions of AI remains a work in progress. According to Naqvi, consumers mustn't be passive.

"We as consumers of information have also a responsibility," he said, emphasizing the ever-increasing importance of fact checking via multiple sources.

For professionals like McWilliam, the prospect of heightened productivity fuels optimism about AI's future.

"If you had 70 percent of your time back in a day, where would you spend it? I can imagine it's not on the mundane," McWilliam said.

As AI continues to redefine efficiency and raise new challenges, the summit reflects an ongoing dialogue on how best to harness its potential while safeguarding against its risks.