The NVRD Annual Conference 2024 raised the standard for industry events through its stimulating array of speakers and in-depth discussions. With AMCS as a proud platinum sponsor in an advisory role, the congress was able to fully highlight the relevant and urgent theme.
The congress proved to be inspiring with remarkable speakers and valuable discussions. We were guests of our highly valued customer Omrin and AMCS was prominently present with the new corporate identity. AMCS breathes data & innovation and therefore took an advisory role here as a software supplier in resource management. In this blog article we briefly highlight the content highlights.
A look at the Circular Economy in (Northern) Netherlands
Arno Brok, Commissioner of the King - Province of Friesland, spoke at length about how the Northern Netherlands - with Friesland at its center - aims to be the most circular region in Europe by 2025. This region is considered a major source of innovation, with companies such as Omrin at the forefront. Moreover, Friesland's progress in the circular economy is recognized at the international level. This is evidenced by its prominent place on the roadmap of the “Circular Economy Roadmap for Germany.” This is a science-based action framework that systematically describes the necessary steps for Germany's transition to a Circular Economy. It contains recommendations for action intended as orientation for decision makers from politics, industry and science. From thinking to doing, in other words!
NVRD's 2024 Annual Address
Henry Meijdam delivered NVRD's 2024 annual address with conviction. He emphasized the need for vulnerability in collaboration between public and private companies for a circular economy. Receptivity and acceptance of each other's strengths is the key to fruitful synergy. Unfortunately, according to Meijdam, there is currently a lack of attention in the coalition agreement to the environmental sector. The ongoing issues surrounding nitrous oxide cylinders show that the central government seems unwilling to compensate the sector, leading to further complications.
This underscores the importance of AMCS and Rijkswaterstaat's pilot in which two collection vehicles in two major Dutch cities, for two months, will be equipped with AMCS Vision AI to collect data and train the tool.
The Opportunities and Flaws of AI
Looking ahead to technology trends, philosopher, and AI researcher Eline de Jong gave insight into the potential of AI and her research commissioned by the Dutch government. She defined AI as a “systems technology” with countless possible applications. In doing so, she suggested five crucial factors that can influence the adoption of AI: perception, social and technical context, social forces, rules of the game and international dynamics. The government must turn these five factors into action items to make the best use of AI, without overlooking ethical and process considerations.
AMCS recently held a Dutch webinar “Innovations in the Circular Economy: AI in Resource Management” to explore what data can turn AI tools into concrete actions.
Watch the webinar back here when it's convenient!
Information Security in Resource Management
Finally, ethical hacker Maarten Hartsuijker gave us insight from a different perspective. Pointing out the dangers of ransomware and the need for digital literacy, he reminded us of the importance of information security in resource management. A striking example was that there are up to 30,000 data points per cart per trip, all potentially susceptible to attack.
Under the security themes for 2024, a number of important considerations and developments are highlighted. For example, it is paramount to check the entire supply chain for trusted software. Indeed, it is not enough that only one's own systems are secure; this must also apply to the systems of suppliers. Moreover, with the increasingly sophisticated deployment of artificial intelligence, the threat of deception through scam emails is growing, making it essential to keep a close eye on these trends. In addition, electronic warfare is intensifying, which includes high-level data theft, blackmail and phishing and requires active prevention. Finally, it is important to be alert to the reuse of stolen login credentials. The time-honored system of passwords is increasingly being pushed aside by hackers in favor of tokens, underscoring the need to keep up with the latest security trends. Want to learn more about how AMCS' Cloud software provides enhanced cybersecurity?
Watch our webinar in collaboration with partner Microsoft back here to learn more.
The NVRD Annual Conference 2024 has proven to be a hotbed of new ideas and perspectives, combined with important discussions on existing challenges. We look forward to continuing these discussions and together finding solutions to the challenges that cross our path in terms of Data & Innovation. The Netherlands is clearly on its way to a sustainable future, but we need to keep rolling up our sleeves to achieve these goals. Even with less support from the government.
Together we make a difference - let's continue this sustainability journey!