Connectivity, collaboration and AI key to shaping knowledge-driven future, say experts at Knowledge Summit 2025
At the Knowledge Summit 2025, organised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), global experts discussed how advanced technologies, intelligent networks and collaborative ecosystems are redefining the foundations of future knowledge economies.
The session, titled The DNA of Knowledge Markets: Data, Networks, and Access, brought together leading voices in digital strategy, AI innovation and data systems. Moderated by Rima Najjar, TV Presenter at Asharq Bloomberg, the panel featured Harrison Lung, Group Chief Strategy Officer at e&; Dr. Hiroshi Ishiguro, Professor in the Department of Systems Innovation at Osaka University; and Dr. Daniela Benavente, International Consultant on Composite Indicators, Climate Change and Environmental Issues.
Harrison Lung outlined e&’s multidimensional “4D strategy,” highlighting the company’s investments in intelligent digital networks aimed at expanding accessibility across global markets. He stressed the importance of enabling seamless connectivity through devices, platforms and infrastructure. Lung pointed to microfinance-based digital access models in Pakistan, free online upskilling platforms in Egypt, and the UAE’s newly launched AI Nation – Afaaq programme as examples of technology-driven inclusion.
Dr. Hiroshi Ishiguro explored the rise of a human–avatar symbiotic society, where AI-powered avatars could transform sectors such as medical care, service delivery and knowledge transfer. He described advanced robotics and avatars not as replacements for humans but as collaborative tools designed to amplify human capabilities.
Dr. Daniela Benavente discussed the rapidly evolving “market for data,” driven by the integration of public datasets, private-sector information streams and satellite imagery. She emphasised that strong public–private partnerships are essential to tackling complex global challenges and unlocking the full potential of Big Data.
Collectively, the experts agreed that the future of knowledge markets will be anchored in AI-enabled systems, seamless connectivity and robust cross-sector collaboration — a vision closely aligned with the Summit’s goal of advancing global knowledge-driven development.
