RIYADH — Investment and technology and their ability to improve the life of human society in ways that were not imagined by a new generation and advanced technologies that penetrated all aspects of life were among the sessions on the first day of the 6th edition of the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh.

The session, in which the Governor of the Public Investment Fund and Chairman of the Board of FII Yasser Bin Othman Al-Rumayyan, participated, highlighted that 1.1 billion people were able to get out of poverty between 1990 and 2015.

This was largely due to the progress in health, medicine and biotechnology that contributed to achieving advance health care, widespread availability of food triggered by innovations in sustainable agriculture, educational technology and its contribution to personal advancement.

He referred also to the consumer-centric technological developments — from smartphones to wearables — have increased productivity and enabled creativity and accelerated comprehensive self-awareness.

The session stressed that technology seems more than ever capable of pushing humanity into its next transformational era if humanity itself and all its aspects do not hinder progress.

Participants also discussed humanity's collective vision of a new global order, how investors and business leaders can contribute to innovations that enhance human capabilities worldwide, and whether a multipolar order creates — or hinders — opportunities for collaborative progress. — SPA