I will be attending IBM Think 2018 next week, and I hope to meet some of my readers there. The event offers attendees the opportunity to learn about new developments in many areas of study, rub elbows with technology experts and peers, attend illuminating sessions and much more.

Top Reasons to Attend the Think 2018 Conference

Without further ado, here are the top four reasons why I really love this particular conference.

1. Four Focus Areas in One Conference

Often I attend conferences that focus on a single area of technology. Those conferences are great, but to stay current in multiple areas, people need to attend multiple conferences.

Think covers a wide variety of topics. In fact, IBM’s new innovative Think campuses focus on four areas in which I have significant interest: business and artificial intelligence (AI), cloud and data, modern infrastructure, and security and resiliency. These technologies are transforming the world, and IBM wisely chose to house these exhibits together in one location so everyone can see them. This provides a unique opportunity to learn about the latest developments in four important areas in one shot — and to meet people working in those areas at one conference.

2. Networking Opportunities Galore

Given my background in psychology, I frequently remind people that even in today’s age of digital communications, there is no substitute for human interaction. The Think conference is an amazing venue for meeting people. There are over 40,000 attendees, many of whom work for the world’s biggest companies.

Because of the way the conference is run, there are many opportunities to meet people. With an attendee list that including business leaders, technology innovators and world-renowned experts in fields such as cybersecurity, cloud, AI, blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics and other cutting-edge technologies, the networking opportunities are simply amazing.

While there are obviously many other reasons to attend Think, I truly believe that, for most people, the networking element on its own is worth the trip. If you are planning to attend Think for the first time this year, I expect that you will feel the same way by the time you return home.

3. At Think, Saving Lives Is Child’s Play

Last year at IBM InterConnect, I met Tanmay Bakashi, a child prodigy who is the youngest developer working on IBM’s Watson supercomputer. This year, he will be speaking at Think about his latest project, which uses a supercomputer-based machine to literally save lives.

In our modern world, we interact with technology on an almost nonstop basis. But, in the end, is there any higher purpose for technology than saving lives? And is there anything more amazing than a young person designing a system that can do just that? I am excited for Tanmay’s presentation, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way.

4. Illuminating ‘Innovation Talks’

Of course, there are many other great presentations. IBM President and CEO Ginni Rometty will be speaking about the company’s latest and greatest, and other brilliant folks will be offering “Innovation Talks” on a number of different topics.

Because Think is a broad conference, there are many different sessions, and attendees can pick the ones in which they are most interested. Personally, I am excited to hear from Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History; astronaut Mae Jemison; and Dr. D.J. Patil, former U.S. chief data scientist at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Watch now! See what’s happening on the Security & Resiliency Campus at IBM Think

See You at Think 2018!

I will be at the conference sharing some of my experiences on social media. This year, I even plan to livestream from the event. I hope you will consider attending or following along online.

I’d love to meet you at Think. If you are going to be there and want to meet up, please send me a message via Twitter using @ShirasTweet or via LinkedIn. You can also follow me on Twitter to watch my livestream and see highlights as they occur.

This post was sponsored by the IBM Security team, which you can follow on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.