Hello ITU News Weekly readers!

This week's newsletter highlights the rapid and deep convergence of ICTs with other industries. Read on for the latest examples of how ICTs are fundamentally shifting health, media, transport, government, humanitarian aid -- and now retail grocery.

Spotlight

Accelerating a sustainable ‘Industry 4.0’ Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other game-changing technologies will fundamentally shift economies and societies. How can we ensure these changes are for social good? #wsis #AIforGood

ICT Trends

Blockchain ID system for refugees? Accenture and Microsoft are developing a digital ID network using biometric data and blockchain technology to provide permanent legal identification to 1.1 billion people worldwide with no official documents. Working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the project aims to help refugees prove their identity in order to gain access to basic services such as education and healthcare.

Amazon’s big purchase The e-commerce giant's USD 13.7 billion bid for the Whole Foods grocery chain could drastically alter the food tech landscape, with global implications. How can smaller rivals such as Instacart compete? And how will the announcement impact Blue Apron’s IPO, which is set to be the biggest consumer tech IPO since Snap Inc.? [Meanwhile, see how tech is helping feed the hungry in India.]

Content: A united front? 30 entertainment companies including NBCUniversal, Netflix, Amazon and Disney have partnered to form the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment to combat international audiovisual content piracy - which cost France an estimated EUR 1.35 billion in lost tax revenue and earnings in 2016 alone. Meanwhile, Apple has now hired two Sony Pictures presidents in a further a sign that the company is set to make a serious push into original video as ITU News flagged back in January.

NEW! Global ICT Regulatory Outlook 2017 opens a series of reports tracking market and regulatory trends in the ICT sector and their implications across the economy. A key resource on smart, inclusive and forward-looking ICT regulation, with useful insights and a clear perspective on current trends and challenges. BUY NOW!

Health tech: Could a drone save your life? Swedish researchers hope a drone heart attack ambulance could save lives by delivering life-saving equipment with instructions for bystanders. Could this eventually tie in with wearable devices to drive more effective response times? Meanwhile, the FDA launched a new Digital Health Innovation Plan which aims to get digital medical devices to market quicker with a new approach to regulation. [See how a new data platform helps doctors in India save premature babies.]

E-government: 18 US tech companies gathered to discuss how to make the United States government's computing systems more efficient. President Trump cited estimates that it could help save up to USD 1 trillion over 10 years by eliminating waste and improving services for citizens.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Start-up economy: French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron launched a special four-year visa for tech entrepreneurs, saying that he wants France to be a nation that works with and for startups. [See how Estonia became an Emerging Market leader in tech startups and entrepreneurship.]
Internet of Things: Cost, legacy systems, and complexity are the top three hurdles for businesses to adapt IoT solutions in South-East Asia, says a new report that found that only 7% report benefitting from IoT implementation.
5G will be the first wireless generation designed by the end-user, with investment depending more on demand than supply, according to a panel at 5G World 2017. [Read ITU News Magazine for expert insights on the 5G roadmap.]
Ride-sharing economy: Uber’s Middle East rival, Careem, just closed a USD 500 million Series E funding round, now valued at over USD 1 billion. And Chinese bike-sharing company Mobike raised USD 600 million last week. Does this signal a greater shift towards the sharing economy in those markets?

Insights

Augmented Reality (AR) is building excitement Ralph Osterhout explains his evolution from making props for James Bond movies to building consumer market AR glasses - something that he thinks can transform people’s lives. Apple CEO Tim Cook is also excited about the future of AR.

“I am not a petrol-head. I am a technology head.” Dr. Wolfgang Ziebart, father of the upcoming Jaguar I-Pace electric car, takes us through its evolution, and warns that timing is everything.

Keep up to date with ITU

UPCOMING EVENTS

- Global Symposium for Regulators 2017 (GSR-17); Nassau, Bahamas, 11 - 14 July 2017

MORE FROM ITU

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- Read the latest ITU News Magazine here

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