Swissnex in San Francisco

- Thank you, SIGGRAPH 2024! - On July 30, our CEO, Emilia Pasquier, had the honor of moderating the SIGGRAPH Lead Talk "Leading Sustainable Futures: Innovative Approaches for Urban Environments." After the opening words by SIGGRAPH lead Chair Munkhtsetseg Nandigjav, the discussion focused on how sustainable urban futures shall look like, as well as how current technology can foster desired outcomes. Our expert speakers brought a wealth of knowledge to the stage: ⭐️Marina Psaros, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, stated that resilience in urban planning starts with local decisions. She shed light on how “games and gamified experiences can bridge gaps in engagement, knowledge, and activation on climate resilience planning.” ⭐️Niklaus Houska from Esri R&D Center Zurich, shared insights from his research in procedural modeling. He noted that: “A digital city should feel like a real city.” He demonstrated how this can be achieved through the 3D modeling and urban planning tool ArcGIS CityEngine that allows us to create 3D cityscapes. ⭐ ️Sibylle Wälty, Lecturer at ETH Zurich and CEO of Resilientsy, addressed challenges as well as innovations in urban planning by focusing on the SUISPLU Tool which is able to calculate 10-minute-neighborhoods. She mentioned that: “The more the density of residents rises, the more the percentage of people walking instead of driving rises.” ⭐️Dale Bracewell, Principal at Mobility Foresight, noted that for planning and sustainable mobility the most important question to ask is: “What kind of city do we want?” He reminded us that: “It’s about all the values that we have in order to define the urban future that we want.” Thank you to all our speakers for sharing their invaluable perspectives (and to Pascale Speck for capturing the moments). And thank you Munkhtsetseg Nandigjav for making this event possible.

👋 Meet Pierre Ballenegger Don't miss out on August 12 as we begin our 2-week Multimedia Lab for Journalists. This program is created for both experienced and aspiring professionals in journalism and multimedia storytelling. We're pleased to feature Pierre, one of the 10 selected participants. 🧑🎓Pierre Ballenegger holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing & Communication and will graduate with his Journalism degree in December. He started his career by co-launching “12m2 Studio” where he planned, budgeted, directed, edited, and distributed films for advertising. In 2021, Pierre joined Ringier Media Switzerland as the senior video producer and has since focused on world and local news, emerging technology, AI in the media industry, and ecology. 📹Pierre's project focuses on exploring innovative strategies for digital news outlets to effectively transition to video journalism in the context of AI development, identifying new methods of content aggregation, and exploiting emerging distribution channels. It aims to evaluate the potential and ethical implications of automated text-to-video technologies and generative AI in journalism while addressing the crucial issue of restoring public trust in the media. During his time here, Pierre wants to connect with other journalists in the Bay Area to listen to their experiences, views, and expertise and collaborate on projects that lay the foundations for a promising future for journalism. 🤝 Connect with Pierre on LinkedIn to support his research. 

👋 Meet Mirja Gabathuler This year, from August 12 to August 23, we have the pleasure of hosting Mirja, one of the 10 participants of our Multimedia Lab for Journalists program designed for professionals in journalism and multimedia storytelling. During this 2-week program, selected candidates will participate in a bunch of workshops exploring the future of journalism and events to connect with the Bay Area. 🎙️Mirja Gabathuler holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in Media & Communication Science from the University of Fribourg and the University of Bern, and a Master’s in German Literature from Freie Universität Berlin. She started her journalism career during her studies, working for radio stations and newspapers. Later, she worked as an online editor and radio freelancer for Swiss Radio & Television. Since 2020, she has been developing the podcast department at Tamedia, launching the daily format “Apropos” (Top 10 in Switzerland). 📉When did our earnings lose their value? Mirja’s project is a 5-part audio series for “Apropos” that examines the rising costs of living in Switzerland (rent, food, healthcare) and explores solutions. She will feature stories of those impacted by these increases. During her time here, Mirja plans to enhance her narrative audio storytelling, explore AI tools in production, and integrate multimedia elements for a comprehensive storytelling approach. She seeks insights on distribution and marketing to reach a wider audience. 🤝 Connect with Mirja on LinkedIn to support her research. 

🎉We are pleased to welcome the HEAD – Genève, University of Art and Design this Summer for an exhibition showcasing their take on artificial intelligence. The exhibition will be open from August 22 till November 30 at Swissnex San Francisco.  🎨Get an overview of the projects taking part of the exhibition, “Assembling Intelligence: Hybrid Strategies for AI, Art, and Design” : - “Design & Machine Learning: Automation Takes Command” | Anthony Masure (project lead), Alexia Mathieu, Douglas Edric Stanley, Élise Gay & Kévin Donnot (E+K) - - “Bismuthocris Chrysallis” | Alpha Syn & Elsa Wagnières - - “The Romantic Fox was no Good Match for my Brand New Dress” | Alexandra Galian - 🔜More projects coming soon, so stay tuned! 😉More informations about the exhibition here: https://lnkd.in/eRgriKut

👋 Meet Hugo Savary Hugo is joining us on August 12 as we kick off our Multimedia Lab for Journalists. This 2-week intensive program is created for experienced and aspiring professionals in journalism and multimedia storytelling. We are happy to present Benjamin, one of our 10 participants. 🎙️The son of two journalists, Hugo Savary was immersed in this world from an early age. After his first experience at RadioFr station and Frapp, he decided to undertake a two-year formation in journalism. He is interested in new multimedia technologies and the implementation of AI tools in the journalism context to mix “old knowledge” with “new one.” 🗣️Hugo is developing a series of reports on men's mental health, such as "dad's postpartum depression," to challenge societal taboos and highlight men's right to vulnerability. His project includes a podcast and multiple platforms to share these stories, aiming for wide accessibility. Hugo seeks expert advice on ethical AI use in storytelling, hoping to raise awareness from Silicon Valley's innovative environment. Hugo plans to explore how AI can revolutionize journalism, focusing on improving interview preparation and fieldwork. He looks forward to discovering different journalism approaches and connecting with other journalists. He aims to refine his storytelling, master multiple journalism platforms, and enhance his podcasting expertise. 🤝 Connect with Hugo on LinkedIn to support his project.  

- Mainstream Monotony – AI in Journalism & Storytelling - ✍️Part of our event series “Déjà Vu”, this discussion will challenge journalists, neuroscientists, and entrepreneurs on the impact of artificial intelligence on creative work. Through this discussion, we aim to provoke thoughts on the nature of authenticity, the ways creative work might change, and the ethical implications of using AI in storytelling. 🤖The event will also touch upon the ownership of ideas and whether AI supports or falsifies creative processes and raises the question: What happens to the integrity of a journalistic project when AI is part of the work? And how will AI change journalism and storytelling? We will have the pleasure of counting David Eagleman, Manjula Nadkarni, and Tim O'Rourke as part of the speakers. 📍The San Francisco Chronicle 🗓️August 15, 2024 | 5:30-9:00 pm Get your free ticket here: https://lnkd.in/eYWUS2Fb

👋 Meet Harry Stitzel On August 12, we will kick off our Multimedia Lab for Journalists. The 2-week intensive program is designed for established and emerging professionals in journalism and multimedia storytelling. Harry is one of 10 selected candidates to join the program. 📰Harry Stitzel has a degree in Journalism and a double master's degree in Mass Communication and History from the University of Zurich. For the past 30 years, Harry has worked in broadcast television for SRF, the Swiss National TV. Passionate about storytelling, Harry has covered many stories in Switzerland and abroad, including the Bay Area. He also realized several AI-Business Documentaries during the last year. ✍️Harry’s project is to spotlight innovative and promising AI startups in the region, describe their initiatives, film their activities, and chat with the founders, whether local or Swiss. The aim is not only to explore their motivations and visions but also to address issues of ethics and responsible business models. During his time here, Harry would like to connect with key players in the technological industry and AI experts. He aims to develop his knowledge of AI tools in the journalism context, specifically for broadcast and online coverage. 🤝 Connect with Harry on LinkedIn to support his research. 

✨We warmly welcome the HEAD – Genève, University of Art and Design this Summer for an exhibition showcasing their take on artificial intelligence. ✨ 🦾“Assembling Intelligence – Hybrid Strategies for AI, Art & Design” reunites a diversity of approaches that do not oppose the old and the new, seeking instead a form of “lateral thinking” in an era of ever-accelerating technologies. 🧑🎨This exhibition is part of our Déjà Vu event series exploring the relationship between AI and human creativity. Reminder: all the events are free - About the program - 🥳Events: Opening Night | August 22 “Fair Play? - Human and AI Biases in Gaming” | August 29 🚪Open-House:  Exhibition, Open Studios Weekend I | September 21 Exhibition, Open Studios Weekend II | September 22 Exhibition, Open Night Tech Week | October 8 😉We are pleased to collaborate with the Geneva University of Art and Design for this exhibition. 👉More information about the exhibition here: https://lnkd.in/eRgriKut

👋 Meet Geraldine Normand Jacot Don't miss out on August 12 as we begin our 2-week Multimedia Lab for Journalists. This program is created for both experienced and aspiring professionals in journalism and multimedia storytelling. We're pleased to feature Geraldine, one of the 10 selected participants. 🗽After studying journalism in Paris and interning in TV production in New York, Geraldine Normand Jacot decided to return to Switzerland to join RTS as a video journalist. Since 2022, she's led the Switzerland section, using her extensive media experience to inform and inspire Swiss audiences. 🤖Geraldine’s project, “Connecting the News," aims to immerse the audience in the heart of local stories through an interactive multimedia documentary. With the help of an intelligent chatbot, offering deeper insights and understanding of regional news to those interested, she wants to take the audience behind the scenes of events that shape our society. During her time here, Geraldine wants to explore the latest trends in technology and develop expertise in digital and multimedia journalism. She aims to connect with actors of the Bay Area and develop collaborative projects. 🤝 Connect with Geraldine on LinkedIn to support her project.

🎉We are pleased to welcome the HEAD – Genève, University of Art and Design this Summer for an exhibition showcasing their take on artificial intelligence. The exhibition will be open from August 22 till end of November at Swissnex San Francisco.  🎨Get an overview of the projects taking part of the exhibition, “Assembling Intelligence: Hybrid Strategies for AI, Art, and Design” : - “Chamonix-Sentinelles” | Nicolas Nova, Sabrina Calvo & Etienne Mineur -  - “Buddy Construction” | Quentin Piel Langlet - - “Goodbye/Hello” | Chloé Richard - - “Ada” | Margot Herbelin - - “Faust: An Opera for Chimeras” | Léonie Courbat - 🔜More projects coming soon, so stay tuned! 😉More informations about the exhibition on our website: https://lnkd.in/eRgriKut