70 years of VDE ITG – future ahead: ceremony and VDE Capital Forum on November 26

From transistors to generative AI: the Information Technology Society in the VDE (VDE ITG) has been shaping technological progress for 70 years. “With our ceremony, we are looking back at what has already been achieved, as well as at central topics for the future,” says VDE ITG managing director Damian Dudek. In addition to the presentation of the VDE ITG prizes, the award ceremony for the INVENT a CHIP student competition will also take place at the VDE Capital Forum in Berlin.

(Frankfurt a. M., 12.11.2024) Today, as 70 years ago, the VDE ITG and its members are committed to advancing developments in information technology. In conjunction with the VDE Capital Forum, the anniversary ceremony highlights the work that has been done and brings together scientists, industry experts and young talents to discuss past and future challenges. Visitors to the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities can expect plenary lectures on current topics such as the mobile communications of the future (Prof. Dr. Gerhard Fettweis, TU Dresden) and the technological potential of quantum technologies (Dr. Heike Riel, IBM Zurich). A high-level panel discussion will be held on the importance of information technology for society. Before the evening get-together, the VDE ITG prizes and the prizes of the INVENT a CHIP student competition, which the VDE organizes in cooperation with the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, will be awarded.

Technology is often available long before it is used on a broad scale

The goal of the entire event is to demonstrate the importance of technology in everyday life. Damian Dudek, managing director of VDE ITG, explains: “The technologies behind what surrounds us have existed long before they are widely used. This was just as true for the cell phone thirty years ago as it is for video conferencing since the pandemic, which is now firmly established in all our lives.”

A similar phenomenon can currently be observed in the field of generative artificial intelligence (AI), since language processing models were developed as early as the 1990s. They form the basis for large language models and systems like ChatGPT, which make the advantages of AI accessible to the general public. “In terms of research, we are top in Germany when it comes to language models – but we need more power for implementation,” says Dudek. That is why looking ahead is crucial for ITG, where the core issue is to inspire young people to shape technological progress and to show women career paths in information technology.

A firework of know-how: New impulse papers and anniversary edition of ITG News

VDE

On the occasion of its 70th anniversary, ITG is publishing an anniversary edition of ITG News at this year's VDE Capital Forum, which presents milestones from the last 70 years as well as the minds behind them. In addition, the experts will present two new position papers: on the future vision (Information Technology Vision 2035) and on the importance of large language models (Large Language Models are Transformers in Artificial Intelligence, Industry, Education, and Society). Damian Dudek says: “We are launching a whole series of fireworks this year to make know-how visible and successfully advance future topics.”

Save the date – November 26 from 3 p.m.: Take the opportunity to network with experts!

Journalists are cordially invited to the VDE Capital Forum 2024 & 70 Years VDE ITG – Future Ahead. The ceremony with plenary lectures and panel discussions begins at 3 p.m., the award ceremonies will take place around 6:30 p.m. Afterwards, there will be an opportunity for discussions and conversations at the get-together. The event will take place at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, entrance Markgrafenstraße 38, Gendarmenmarkt 10117 Berlin (Mitte). Please register at presse@vde.com.

About the Information Technology Society within VDE (VDE ITG)

The Information Technology Society within VDE (VDE ITG) is the national association of all people working in the field of information technology in business, administration, teaching and research and science. Its objectives are to promote the scientific and technical development and evaluation of information technology in theory and practice. Founded in 1954 as the Nachrichtentechnische Gesellschaft, it is the oldest professional association in the VDE. Its nine technical divisions, to which more than 80 technical committees are assigned, represent the entire spectrum of information technology. About 10,000 VDE members have assigned themselves to the ITG and more than 1,000 experts work voluntarily in the committees.

For more information, visit www.vde.com/itg

About VDE

VDE, one of the largest technology organizations in Europe, has been regarded as a synonym for innovation and technological progress for more than 130 years. VDE is the only organization in the world that combines science, standardization, testing, certification, and application consulting under one umbrella. The VDE mark has been synonymous with the highest safety standards and consumer protection for more than 100 years.

Our passion is the advancement of technology, the next generation of engineers and technologists, and lifelong learning and career development “on the job”. Within the VDE network more than 2,000 employees at over 60 locations worldwide, more than 100,000 honorary experts, and around 1,500 companies are dedicated to ensuring a future worth living: networked, digital, electrical.
Shaping the e-dialistic future.

The VDE (VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies) is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. For more information, visit www.vde.com