Fresh Summit 2017

Workshop Series III: Technological Disruption Has Arrived: Cut-and-Paste Genomics and Computers that Learn (Room 211-213)

19 Oct 17
2:35 PM - 4:05 PM

Tracks: Science and Technology

Speaker(s): Neal Gutterson, Vice President for Research, DuPont Pioneer; Kristen Rainey, Global Procurement & Resource Utilization Manager, Google, Inc.;

Moderator(s): Bob Whitaker, Chief Science and Technology Officer, Produce Marketing Association

From the transistor to the PC, every generation has a technology that changes the rules of the game. As new technology is emerging from all areas, we have two major innovations in both genetic sciences and machine learning that are changing the industry entirely. This session will explore DuPont Pioneer’s data driven technology of genome editing and the potential that new technology has for developing fruits, vegetables, and floral varieties that will meet operational and consumer challenges in the years ahead. We will also show how huge leaps in processing power means that computers can learn and teach themselves anything, like how Google’s computers are learning to recognize different kinds of food waste just from looking at thousands of photos. Most importantly, attendees will discover that these technologies are becoming accessible to non-experts. Like true disruptions they pose unpredictable opportunities and challenges to how we do business today and for the future.