Announcing Disrupt 2024 AI Stage agenda

We’re so excited to announce that we’ve added a dedicated AI Stage presented by Google Cloud to TechCrunch Disrupt 2024. It joins Fintech, SaaS and Space as the other industry-focused stages — all under one big roof.

We couldn’t possibly host TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 without a huge deep dive on all things artificial intelligence. So, here is our first sneak peek at the AI Stage agenda, happening all day on Wednesday, October 30. As a classic TechCrunch stage, we have some of the nascent industry’s heavy hitters, like Alexandr Wang and Aravind Srinivas, alongside our partners like Nebius AI and others!

Check the prelim agenda below and keep checking back for updates — we have a lot more to add to the AI Stage.

The AI Stage agenda at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024

From Search Engines to Knowledge Engines: Perplexity’s Rush Toward an AI-Curated Web

with Aravind Srinivas (Perplexity)

Perplexity‘s AI-powered search engine might be the next stage of interacting with the web and knowledge in general — or not. But the company is certainly risking it all to manifest that future, even if it ruffles a few feathers along the way. Hear from the CEO how the company plans to take on all comers in this new category of tech.

The Business of Labeling: A Deep Dive into Scale AI’s Massive Growth

with Alexandr Wang (Scale AI)

In 2016, when Scale AI was founded, few people could have predicted that the company, which builds tools to train, test and maintain generative AI models, would eventually grow into a $14 billion business. In hindsight, it seems almost inevitable that Scale would, well, scale quickly, given the dramatic growth many of its early customers, including OpenAI, experienced. In a conversation with Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang, we’ll discuss the company’s journey so far and the role that Scale AI now plays in the generative AI ecosystem.

How Generative AI Is Flooding the Web with Disinformation

with Pamela San Martin (Oversight Board), Imran Ahmed (CCDH), and speakers to be announced

As generative AI tools become more widely available — and become cheaper, or even free, to use — they’re being abused by an array of actors, including state actors, to create deepfakes and sow disinformation online. In this session, we’ll hear from experts about the types of deepfakes now circulating the web and some possible ways to combat the threat.

Are “Open” AI Models Really Better?

with Ali Farhadi (Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence), Irene Solaiman (Hugging Face), and speakers to be announced

There’s a war brewing in the AI industry between companies in support of “open” AI models (models released under permissive licenses that can be fine-tuned and repurposed for a range of applications) and closed source models (models gated behind paid services and APIs). Is one approach better than the other? The answer isn’t as clear-cut as you might think. In this talk, we’ll investigate the differences between open and closed source models, as well as the subtle but important flavors of open-model licenses.

Navigating AI’s Legal and Ethical Minefield

with Sarah Myers West (AI Now), Jingna Zhang (Cara), and Ben Zhao (University of Chicago)

AI’s meteoric rise has created new ethical dilemmas and exacerbated old ones, while lawsuits drop left and right. This threatens both new and established AI companies, and the creators and workers whose labor feeds the models. A panel of experts in AI, copyright, and ethics take on this complex and fast-moving problem space.

But Is It Art? Generative AI’s Evolving Role in Music and Video Production

with Mikey Shulman (Suno), Amit Jain (Luma AI), and other speakers to be announced

Generative AI is increasingly capable of creating video, music, and other media on demand. But who actually wants it, and why? This panel of AI startups will discuss the growing markets for generative media and how they can be served without harming or displacing the artists they claim to empower.

About TechCrunch Disrupt 2024

TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 is where you’ll find innovation for every stage of your startup journey. Whether you’re a budding founder with a revolutionary idea, a seasoned startup looking to scale or an investor seeking the next big thing, TechCrunch Disrupt offers unparalleled resources, connections and expert insights to propel your venture forward. Over 10,000 startup leaders will be attending this year’s event on October 28-30 in San Francisco.

We can’t wait to hear from these AI leaders at this year’s show. Purchase your tickets here