Global technology leaders will pack Lisbon’s annual Web Summit from Tuesday to talk about artificial intelligence, robots and start-ups – all under the shadow of tensions over cutting-edge tech and the natural resources needed to build it.
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Over four days, the “Davos for geeks” is set to welcome more than 70,000 visitors including 2,500 start-ups and 1,000 investors, according to organisers.
Tech leaders gathered at Monday’s opening night, starring Swedish start-up founder Anton Osika, whose Lovable software company is touted as the fastest growing in history.
The audience also cheered TikTok star Khaby Lame, tennis great Maria Sharapova and an Olympics-style parade of tech founders bearing their nations’ flags.
“This year, more than any year before, it’s clear that the era of Western tech dominance is fading,” Web Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave said on Monday.
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