Source: cyprus-mail.com
Amazon executive Panos Panay will headline a fireside chat on how innovation can be turned into real-world economic and social value during the international conference ‘Shaping the Next Digital Frontier’, which will take place in Nicosia on June 17.
The discussion, titled ‘From Innovation to Real-World Impact’, is scheduled for 10.30am at the Filoxenia Conference Centre, as part of a two-day conference taking place on June 17 and 18 in the context of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The event is expected to bring together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, entrepreneurs and technology professionals, with the wider programme focusing on Europe’s digital and artificial intelligence future.
The conversation around innovation has increasingly moved beyond what is technologically possible, focusing instead on how new tools can be used in practice by businesses, governments and society.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve rapidly, the main challenge is no longer only the development of new technologies, but their effective use in everyday life, production and decision-making.
Panay, Senior Vice President for Devices, Alexa and Leo at Amazon, is among the most recognisable figures in the global technology industry.
Before joining Amazon, he spent more than 19 years at Microsoft, where he was most recently Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer, leading the Windows and Devices division. He also held senior roles linked to Microsoft Surface and PC hardware, where he helped drive the creation and introduction of the Surface product line.
At Amazon, Panay leads the company’s Devices and Services business, a role that places him at the centre of the company’s work around connected devices, voice technology, artificial intelligence and consumer-facing digital services.
His participation gives the Nicosia event a strong international dimension, particularly as Cyprus continues to seek a more active role in the digital economy and innovation ecosystem.
The fireside chat will be moderated by Chief Scientist of the Republic of Cyprus and Chairman of the Research and Innovation Foundation, Demetris Skourides.
The discussion is expected to focus on how major technological breakthroughs are transformed into products and services used by millions of people, as well as on the challenges companies face when trying to bring new technologies into real market conditions.
The theme is particularly relevant at a time when Amazon and other global technology groups are investing heavily in AI-powered consumer services. Amazon has already presented Alexa+ as a generative AI upgrade to its voice assistant, designed to make interactions more natural and useful across devices and applications.
The company has also been expanding its work around Amazon Leo, its low Earth orbit satellite network, with Amazon saying the project is intended to improve connectivity for customers beyond the reach of existing terrestrial networks.
The Nicosia discussion is expected to look at how innovation can move from ideas and prototypes to measurable impact, both for businesses and for society more broadly.
It will also form part of a wider conference agenda covering the global AI landscape, Europe’s digital competitiveness, smart regulation, the digital single market, technological sovereignty and the protection of minors in the digital age.