More related content on the BRIDGE
- Media Panel 9 December 10:50 - 11:20AM
Rethinking Money, Media, and Meaning
As markets react in real time to headlines, policy shifts, and digital sentiment, the lines between finance, media, and governance are blurring. This session explores how tokenization, digital identity, and decentralized technologies are reshaping not just capital flows, but sovereignty and social contracts. From CBDCs to self-sovereign IDs and tokenized infrastructure, the next wave of financial architecture raises a core question: can we design systems that offer recognition and economic dignity across borders, without sacrificing stability or trust? Drawing on real-world models, this session brings together media, policymakers, fintech pioneers, and investors to examine the future of money in a networked world.
Forum StageSpeakers
- Picture Fireside 8 December 5:50 - 6:05PM
Stories That Cross Borders
Cinema has the power to travel, and few storytellers do it with more conviction than Mohamed Diab. In this session, he explores how Arab filmmakers can create stories that are both deeply local and universally human. From Cairo to Hollywood, Diab shares his creative philosophy on crafting films that challenge perception, carry cultural weight, and speak a language that transcends borders.
Explore by InstagramSpeakers
Moderator
- Technology Keynote 8 December 2:20 - 2:35PM
Building Bridges Between Physical and Digital Worlds
As the boundaries between the physical and digital blur, realism is no longer the destination—it’s the starting point. Hao Li, CEO of Pinscreen and Associate Professor at MBZUAI, reveals how advances in generative AI, facial synthesis, and neural rendering are enabling lifelike avatars, real-time communication, and new dimensions of creative expression. From film and gaming to education and social interaction, he shows how these technologies can bridge not only worlds but also people, turning pixels into presence and transforming how we connect, collaborate, and trust in an increasingly virtual age.
Central StageSpeakers
- Media Fireside 9 December 11:40AM - 12:00PM
The Disappearing Job Map of Media
By 2035, PwC projects automation will reshape nearly a third of media jobs, changing how content is created, distributed and monetized. Traditional roles are shrinking while new ones like AI prompt engineers, generative optimization experts and misinformation analysts are emerging quickly. This session focuses on what skills and strategies media professionals need to stay relevant, create value with new tools and build careers that remain essential as technology rewrites the industry.
Academy StageModerator
- Gaming Fireside 9 December 3:55 - 4:15PM
Safe Digital Spaces and Powering Youth’s Rise in Global Media
As young people become creators, storytellers, and digital citizens at unprecedented scale, the responsibility on media leaders and platforms grows just as quickly. This session explores how safe, trusted, and culturally grounded digital spaces can unlock youth creativity and empower the next generation to shape global media. From building future-ready ecosystems and fostering responsible innovation to developing talent pipelines that prepare young people for leadership, the conversation examines what it takes to protect youth while enabling them to thrive—and ultimately rise—as influential voices in the world’s media landscape.
Forum Stage - Picture Keynote 10 December 11:55AM - 12:10PM
Filming the Impossible
How do you capture the uncapturable? In this masterclass, Our Planet director Alastair Fothergill reveals the art and obsession behind filming the impossible moments of nature so unpredictable, dangerous, or fleeting they defy control. From the depths of the ocean to the peaks of frozen worlds, he shares the creative discipline, patience, and innovation required to turn chaos into cinema. A rare look at how the world’s most breathtaking natural moments are not just found, but earned.
Academy Stage
