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Belgium 13-11-2026 Squad Only Physical English

Building the Business Case for New IT Capabilities; How to justify investment when value is strategic, shared, or only visible over time.

Many IT capabilities are essential and difficult to fund through a simple project ROI. The challenge is showing why architecture, governance, resilience, cybersecurity maturity, data foundations, and AI readiness deserve investment before the gap becomes expensive. Three pressure points make the case harder. - Shared value means the benefit often sits across several teams, while the budget sits in one place. - Timing creates friction because the cost is immediate while the value appears over time. - Risk translation is needed so business and finance leaders understand the consequence of delaying the investment. The working question is simple: how do we turn foundational IT capabilities into credible investment cases that link cost, risk, business value, and future flexibility? If you are building these cases internally, let’s compare how others are positioning value, risk, and timing.

Belgium 19-11-2026 All Members Physical English

Europe’s Digital Foundations

Public organisations are re-evaluating the digital foundations on which critical services depend. Cloud strategy is increasingly shaped by questions of operational control, legal exposure, supplier dependency, interoperability and long-term resilience. For public-sector leaders, the issue is not only where workloads are hosted, but how much strategic control remains over the technologies that support essential public services. This is where European cloud initiatives, sovereign infrastructure and open-source technologies become strategically important. Together, they can increase transparency, preserve portability and reduce dependency on individual providers. But they also raise practical questions around maturity, procurement, integration, support models and long-term sustainability. Open source brings a specific dimension to this discussion. It claims to better support transparency, interoperability and strategic autonomy, but it is also requiring clear governance, security controls and operational support. The opportunity is to understand where open technologies can strengthen the public-sector technology stack, where commercial platforms remain essential and how both can coexist within a coherent European digital strategy. Three questions shape the discussion: Which parts of the public-sector technology stack require stronger European control? What role should open-source technologies play in reducing dependency and strengthening transparency? Which governance and procurement decisions will determine whether a sovereign cloud strategy succeeds? Bringing these perspectives together can define where sovereign cloud and open technologies create strategic value, identify the decisions that deserve executive attention, and establish practical principles for strengthening Europe’s digital foundations while preserving flexibility and innovation. See you at the table?

Belgium 24-11-2026 Country Members Physical French

Les Rencontres: Innovation de l'Ombre

Créativité vs. Chaos : Quelle est la gouvernance minimale ? Le défi principal est d'équilibrer le risque et le rythme du changement. Les équipes métier adoptent de nouveaux outils d'IA et low-code de leur propre chef, créant une véritable créativité mais aussi un risque massif et non géré. Cette discussion se concentre sur l'établissement de voies simples et sûres pour l'innovation, en débattant de la gouvernance minimale qui protège la réputation de l'entreprise tout en évitant l'erreur d'écraser les initiatives utiles dans l'ombre. Questions clés d'Échange entre pairs : Où l'innovation de l'ombre aide-t-elle plutôt que de nuire, et comment éviter de l'écraser ? Quelle est la gouvernance minimale qui protège la réputation tout en maintenant la vitesse, et à qui appartient-elle réellement ? Comment les pairs ont-ils réussi à transformer les efforts initiaux de l'ombre en services officiels soutenus sans perdre la confiance de l'entreprise ? Comment pouvons-nous rendre plus facile d'innover de manière responsable que de simplement agir en franc-tireur ?

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GE Appliances Helps Consumers Create Personalized Recipes From the Food in Their Kitchen with Google Cloud's Generative AI

GE Appliances offers users the ability to generate custom recipes based on food in their kitchen with Flavorly™ AI powered by Vertex AI.

New features introduced via GE Appliances' SmartHQ consumer app generate custom recipes and provide a new conversational interface for appliance use and care

LOUISVILLE, Ky. and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GE Appliances (GEA), a Haier company, and Google Cloud today announced an expansion of their partnership to enhance and personalize consumer experiences with generative AI. GE Appliances' SmartHQ consumer app will use Google Cloud's generative AI platform, Vertex AI, to offer users the ability to generate custom recipes based on the food in their kitchen with its new feature called Flavorly™ AI. SmartHQ Assistant, a conversational AI interface, will also use Google Cloud's generative AI to answer questions about the use and care of connected appliances in the home.

"This collaboration is a good example of how we are transforming our entire business landscape, from product design and manufacturing to customer interaction," said Kevin Nolan, president and CEO of GE Appliances. "Our goal is to be 'zero distance' from our consumers, ensuring we always deliver products and experiences that truly resonate. Our partnership with Google Cloud is a prime example of our commitment to providing consumers with the seamless, personalized experiences they desire."

GE Appliances' SmartHQ app includes two innovative features using Google Cloud's generative AI:

Flavorly AI: Flavorly AI uses generative AI to create a selection of unique recipes for consumers based on their food preferences and the ingredients they have available in their kitchen. Take for example, a familiar experience in homes across America: It's 6:30 p.m.; there is no dinner plan; and a selection of seemingly random ingredients are in the refrigerator. Consumers can simply select a recipe category and type of cuisine, then input available ingredients and include any dietary preferences. They will receive tailored recipes with ingredients, instructions, and even photos. Consumers are invited to use Flavorly AI even without a connected GE Appliance in the home, by downloading the SmartHQ app in the app store and creating a user account. SmartHQ is available in Android and iOS.
SmartHQ Assistant: Accessible through a chat bubble on the SmartHQ app home screen, the SmartHQ Assistant eliminates the need to search through junk drawers to find that missing instruction manual. Consumers can simply ask the SmartHQ Assistant questions related to registered connected appliances, and it will quickly offer the answers. From water filter replacement recommendations to cleaning tips, the assistant will crawl GE Appliances' owner manuals, providing quick and accurate answers.

GE Appliances gained access to Google Cloud's cutting-edge AI tools and developed these innovative products quickly to serve the growing needs of its consumers. GE Appliances also plans several updates – for example, a review feature for Flavorly AI will be launched later in the fall, allowing users to rate recipes and enhance the AI model further for consumer benefit.

"We are seeing a variety of brands across industries invest in generative AI to help them create deeper, more meaningful connections with their customers," said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud. "GE Appliances is another great example of this. Already renowned for delivering high-quality appliances to homes around the country, GE Appliances will use our AI technology to help create highly personalized, helpful, and easy-to-use digital experiences for consumers."

About GE Appliances
At GE Appliances we make the world a better place, and our team is committed to leading in the communities where we live and work. Today, our appliances are in 50 percent of all U.S. homes, and our business is committed to serving every family in the country. We are a purpose-rooted and passion-driven organization that believes there is always a better way. We manufacture and sell products under the Monogram®, Café™, GE Profile™, GE®, Haier, and Hotpoint brands. Our products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners and water filtration systems. For more information on our company, brands, and corporate citizenship, visit geappliancesco.com.

About Google Cloud
Google Cloud accelerates every organization's ability to digitally transform its business and industry. We deliver enterprise-grade solutions that leverage Google's cutting-edge technology, and tools that help developers build more sustainably. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted partner to enable growth and solve their most critical business problems.

SOURCE Google Cloud

Technologies

Google Cloud Vertex AI

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