Web Summit kicks off in Lisbon as tech leaders weigh Trump’s return

By Martin Coulter

LISBON (Reuters) - Lisbon will this week play host to Europe’s biggest annual tech conference, Web Summit, where industry leaders and lawmakers will weigh the pros and cons of Donald Trump’s return to the White House. 

Senior executives from firms such as Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL ), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT ), and Meta (NASDAQ:META ) will join high-ranking officials from Europe for debates about the future of artificial intelligence, social media regulation, and the impact a second Trump presidency may have on the continent. 

Trump has previously promised he could end the war between Ukraine and Russia within 24 hours of taking office. Days after Trump's re-election, two senior Ukrainian government officials, Alex Bornyakov and Mykhailo Fedorov, will take to the stage to discuss how the country has continued innovating in the face of conflict.

John Adam, chief revenue officer at software development firm Aimsoftpro, is among those attending. About 70% of the company’s workforce is still based in Ukraine, with the rest having relocated around Europe after the war’s outbreak in 2022. 

“There’s mixed feelings because the Trump approach looks like it’s more geared towards the present lines of conflict, which is not an ideal scenario for Ukraine, and there’s a reluctance to accept that. At the same time, we would like this to have an endpoint,” he said. 

THE X FACTOR 

While not expected to attend, tech billionaire and vocal Trump supporter Elon Musk will be a recurring theme, from his role in Ukraine via satellite service Starlink to his success with space exploration firm SpaceX and controversial stewardship of social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

One panel will debate how Europe might develop a homegrown rival to SpaceX; another whether Musk “destroyed Twitter". Joe Benarroch, who quit his role as X’s de facto spokesperson and head of business operations in June, will join a panel titled “What to do about social media”.



While the EU has tried forcing online platforms to clamp down on harmful content, Trump’s election may lead to them reducing moderation efforts, according to Mark Weinstein, founder of privacy-focused social media platform MeWe, who will share the stage with Benarroch on Wednesday.

“Historically, Trump has been highly critical of online moderation,” he said. “To avoid political retribution, major social networks are likely to continue the trend of becoming significantly more permissive with content they allow on their platforms.” 

Source: Investing.com

Последние публикации
Pony AI Prices 20M Share IPO at $13/sh
27.11.2024 - 13:00
Venu Holding Prices 1.2M Share IPO at $10/sh
27.11.2024 - 13:00
Johnson Matthey shares fall on weak H1 results
27.11.2024 - 13:00
Brazil Potash Corp Prices 2M Share IPO at $15/sh
27.11.2024 - 13:00
Grifols shares plunge after reports Brookfield considering dropping the takeover
27.11.2024 - 13:00
GM and other US automakers would take big hit from Trump tariffs
27.11.2024 - 13:00
Credit Suisse acquitted of 2022 conviction over cocaine cash laundering case
27.11.2024 - 13:00
VW confirms plans to exit Xinjiang operations after years of pressure
27.11.2024 - 13:00
CFM re-allocates some engines in boost to Airbus, sources say
27.11.2024 - 13:00
Inflows into US equities surged post-election, Barclays says
27.11.2024 - 13:00
Risk assets could get tariff wake-up call, BlackRock’s Wei Li Says - BBG
27.11.2024 - 13:00
Autodesk shares tumble on narrow Q3 beat; guidance raised
27.11.2024 - 12:00
Just Eat Takeaway shares down on delisting from London Stock Exchange
27.11.2024 - 12:00
France's CAC 40 drops 1% on budget angst, European auto stocks struggle
27.11.2024 - 12:00
India stocks higher at close of trade; Nifty 50 up 0.35%
27.11.2024 - 12:00

© Analytic DC. All Rights Reserved.

new
Анализ рынка Как повлият завтра отчет NFP на курс доллара США?