As the world ushers in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) – which is characterized by increasingly blurred lines between the digital, biological, and physical worlds – technologists are coming to grips with the opportunities of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, and the Internet of Things. These and other emerging technologies offer exciting possibilities; in theory, they might allow us to galvanize unprecedented socio-economic change and democratise access to services such as the internet, education, and healthcare.

On March 29 and 30 2021, the IRCAI launch event took place. 1083 registered participants from 123 countries attended and were addressed by esteemed speakers on the first day of the event. Participants came from all geographical regions of United Nations: African, Asian-Pacific, Eastern European, Latin American and Caribbean and Western European states. Non-registered participants were also invited to watch the event via live streaming on YouTube. The launch was created with input from 33 active speakers and panelists.