Cloud computing promises a powerful new platform for innovation. It allows entrepreneurs to develop, deploy, market, and sell cloud applications worldwide without having to invest in expensive IT computing infrastructure. It also gives smaller businesses access to the same industrial strength computing systems as large multinational corporations, fostering the competitiveness of small and medium-sized business. By allowing government and business in developing countries to access sophisticated computing platforms without having to buy a lot of hardware and software or manage complex IT deployments, cloud computing can help jump-start economic development. All that is required to access cloud computing solutions is a browser with broad-band access.
The Technology Foresight Forum is an annual event organized by the OECD Committee for Information, Computer, and Communications Policy to help identify opportunities and challenges for the Internet Economy posed by technical developments. Foresight Forums represent a collaborative effort of policymakers from member and non-member governments, business, civil society, and the Internet technical community. They are good opportunities to give voice to stakeholders’ concerns and create a constructive dialogue between all relevant actors.
To prepare for this event, the Internet Society conducted a consultation of its organisational members on “Portability, Competition and Innovation”. Benoit Verbaere (Innovation Programme, SITA, Specialists in air transport communications and IT solutions), who is currently working on building a cloud computing for SITA, agreed to participate to the OECD Foresight Forum (PPT).