NTT DATA reflects on its inaugural year at the World Economic Forum in Davos

January 2024 marked the first year in which NTT DATA Group participated at the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 54th Annual Meeting in Davos. It was an enlightening and inspiring week that gave NTT DATA Group Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer, Yo Honma and Global Chief Executive Officer, NTT Ltd, Abhijit Dubey, the chance to meet with some of the 3,000 attending global leaders and 60 heads of state.

The gathering provided an opportunity for businesses, governments and academics around the world to collectively share their concerns alongside opportunities for growth at a time of uncertainty and change.

Many of the sessions and presentations attended by NTT DATA focused on the topic of geopolitics. The fact that half of the world’s population will be voting for new political leadership throughout 2024 was a topic on the minds of many. It reinforced the importance of trust - a value that is central to NTT DATA’s business and drives everything we do from innovation to serving clients and supporting local communities.

ICT Governors Meeting

Yo Homma participated in the ICT Governors’ Meeting, where he and the leaders of the world’s ICT companies discussed how to fulfil their responsibilities in the face of the digital infrastructure shortage. This has been caused by the rapid digitalisation of recent years and the spread of Gen AI. The participants also discussed what actions should be taken to achieve these goals.

Watch Honma san’s interview.

In subsequent sessions, they talked about the governance and collaboration between the public and private sectors to create and use trustworthy AI.

AI Presentation

This year’s event was built around the theme of ‘Rebuilding Trust’. Discussions focused on how to ensure security at a time of uncertainty, create growth and jobs for a new era, while improving our understanding of the potential benefits of new technologies including Generative AI.

Abhijit Dubey presented on ‘The Impact Opportunity for Artificial Intelligence’ during the event and shared NTT’s latest research and technologies in AI innovation. Leaders agreed that Gen AI presents one of the greatest change agents of our time with the ability to steer economic growth and transform society.

NTT DATA and WEF Initiatives

Underpinning key macro political and economic topics were discussions about how we must address the need for a long-term strategy for climate, nature and energy. NTT DATA attendees paid particular attention to the three initiatives in which it is engaged with the WEF.

Climate and nature: The United Nations estimates that 40% of the earth’s land is now degraded. NTT DATA is working to help accelerate regenerative agriculture and promote technologies that can improve soil health by addressing barriers to adoption by farmers. NTT DATA has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2030 and power its data centers entirely with renewable energy. Our time at Davos reinforced that sustainable business is a C-Suite priority and leaders around the world are looking at how companies like NTT DATA can help to drive their business forward through innovation and sustainable technology.

Urban Transformation: Cities are home to a growing majority of the world’s population and generate more than 80% of global GDP. In future, the largest cities will be located in some of the fast-growing continents and regions where modern infrastructure is currently amiss. NTT DATA believes that urban transformation can best be achieved through digitalization placing citizens at the heart of an integrated ecosystem.

Advanced Manufacturing and Value Chains: Today’s geo-political conflicts present a source of uncertainty and fragmentation that have the potential to negatively impact supply chains and international trade. Smart factories and efficient value chains present the opportunity for companies to place the workforce at the center of its business while implementing fourth industrial revolution technologies that transform today’s business and operating models. Technologies like the industrial metaverse, convergence of IT and OT alongside a more sustainable approach to recycling and waste processing.

NTT DATA sponsors Japan Night

NTT DATA also sponsored the side event Japan Night, where it showcased its collaborative projects as a Japanese company and networked with participants from various fields of politics, business and academia from around the world.

Concluding remarks

NTT DATA left the event to closing messages of resilience and regeneration. The need for businesses to transform was highlighted as an imperative for future success. Business models must be re-evaluated to focus on the benefits they deliver and not rely on practices that fuel the depletion of natural resources. Regenerative business is the future and NTT DATA is ready to respond through trusted innovation and its commitment to realizing a sustainable future.