The rapid development and adoption of mobiles and
Internet have had major impacts on society and ICT is now a key
component of national development in healthcare, education, financial
services, smart cities and poverty reduction. Newer technologies
including AI, robotics and blockchain also will potentially have
major ramifications for society. With this increasing role
of technology often as part of digital transformation programs, the
role of the CIO has increasingly become strategic and governments are
undertaking initiatives to strengthen institutional capacity for ICT
executive leadership.
The talk reviews the latest innovations in mobiles,
robotics, AI, drones and blockchain and other new technologies in the
context of the evolution of the role of CIOs and development of CIO
institutions. What are current and potential applications,
related challenges, possible future development paths, policy
considerations and potential societal ramifications? How
are the roles of CIO and related CIO institutions developing and
adapting to the increasing possibility with greater risk and
challenge of technology innovation and adoption? And how
are engineering and university education changing to adapt for
current and future students as well as to facilitate life long
learning for graduates.
J.P. Auffret is co-founder and vice president of the
International Academy of CIO. In addition, he is associate
director, Center for Assurance Research and Engineering in the
Volgenau School of Engineering and director, research partnerships in
the School of Business at George Mason University. Auffret’s
work and research span a range of applied technology fields including
CIO and technology leadership, ICT governance, and cybersecurity
leadership and with organizations including APEC, NSF and IBM. In
addition, he has worked with World Bank and ITU on mobile and ICT for
Development. His experience includes executive positions with
MCI and its joint venture with British Telecom, Concert and academic
positions with George Mason, Duke University’s Center for
International Development and as physicist-in-residence at American
University. Auffret earned a B.S. from Duke University where he
was an A.B. Duke Scholar, M.B.A. from the University of Virginia and
Ph.D. in Physics from American University.
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