Islamabad :– GDG Islamabad, in collaboration with Women Techmakers Islamabad and the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry, successfully hosted I/O Extended Islamabad 2024.
GDG Islamabad meticulously crafted an agenda featuring keynotes, fireside chats, sessions discussing the latest tech advancements, as well as technical and non-technical workshops ensuring an unforgettable experience for all attendees.
Speaking on the occasion GDG Islamabad Co-Managers Ali Naqi & Sarwat Rizvi, discussed the impact of the GDG community over the years, the purpose of diversity amongst the team as well as the audience, which reinstated the message that the gender diversity gap in tech is very vast, and such conferences can act as a driving force in not only bridging this gender gap but also driving the technological advancements within the country and putting Pakistan at the forefront.
The opening keynote featured Muhammad Usman (Convener Software Development Committee @ICCI), who welcomed the audience to the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry and highlighted the importance of bringing together the tech community.
Following the opening remarks, Janise Tan (Head of Developer Ecosystem – Southeast Asia & South Asia Frontier @Google), provided a captivating overview of the recent Google I/O event, the latest developer products and Google’s commitment to fostering a more diverse and inclusive tech industry through initiatives that empower women in tech. She also discussed the upcoming Gemini API Developer Competition, ending on August 12th.
The conversation on AI advancements continued with Mashhood Rastgar (Head of Engineering @Taleemabad | Google Developer Expert) who shared his expertise on making AI models more accessible and interpretable.
Further exploring the AI landscape, Tehreem Rasul (Senior ML Engineer @Red Buffer) joined a fireside chat discussing the evolving advancements of women in machine learning. Next, Aqsa Kausar (Tech ML Lead @Red Buffer) shared her extensive experience in AI projects. The event also featured a hands-on learning workshop on Building no-code applications with AppSheet and Google Cloud AI by M Hasnain Khalid (CEO HKS TechLabs).
Following this, Arooj Anwar (Community Builder @ CreativeMornings | Content Strategist @Frontmatter) led an interactive workshop that focused on acknowledging diverse perspectives. The last workshop featured Kamran Z. Rizvi (Co-Founder | Senior Consultant | Executive Coach | Lead Trainer @Carnelian and Mentor @School of Leadership) leveraged his expertise in cross-cultural management and leadership to deliver an interactive workshop on public speaking and leadership skills, by following the mantra; “Tell them who you are, and address them directly!”
The closing keynote featured esteemed guest Azhar Ul Islam Zafar (Vice President @ICCI) who expressed how these conferences help equip professionals and students alike, with the necessary skills that can not only put a dent in the technological ecosystem, but also drive the country to its success. Lastly, Ms. Aisha Humera Moriani (Additional Secretary @Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication) signified the importance of the collaboration of governments with communities to bring students and professionals into the forefront of tech innovation with more opportunities, “The potential for positive change exists thanks to the ever-present technology in our hands, but wise use is the key”.
Google Developer Groups Islamabad extends their sincere gratitude to the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce for their invaluable support.
