International Technology Conference Begins This Week in Austin

I am attending the 2006 World Congress on Information Technology in Austin this week on behalf of the FICenter, and will contribute a few posts to FISpace during the conference. The conference will focus on three major high-tech concerns: privacy and security for those using computers and other electronic information devices; access by people everywhere, of all economic levels; and role of technology in improving health care.

It’s being called “the Olympics of information technology.” More than 2,000 world leaders and technology gurus from 80 countries will converge in Austin, so we’ll see if it lives up to that billing.Participants are coming from 81 countries. Most are from North America, but large delegations have signed up from across Europe and Asia, including many from China. They’ll be joined by others from countries such as Armenia, Russia, Uganda, Mali, Mongolia, Nepal, Uruguay and Nicaragua.

Keynote speakers include the likes of Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer, Michael Dell, Freescale’s Michel Mayer, General Colin Powell, AMD’s Hector Ruiz, and Tommy Thompson.