14 April 2026 - The Delusions of Data Conference
The Delusions of Data
14 April 2026 | From 2:00 pm until 5.45 pm
Venue | 17,F EverBright Centre, 108 Gloucester Road ,Wanchai, Hong Kong
Data can provide great insight and decision making support.
But never forget the value of human intelligence and judgement
Information technology has reshaped how we live, work, and govern, accelerating with the internet, the web, and the smartphone that now mediates more of our lives than any other device.
At the heart of this shift is the extraordinary ease with which digital data can be captured, stored, and processed — and the growing assumption that what computers produce must be correct.
As organisations race to become data driven, the risk is not the technology itself but the misplaced confidence we place in it — and the human judgement we sideline along the way. Delusions of Data brings together three perspectives on how these blind spots emerge, why they persist, and what leaders must do to guard against them.
1. Anthony ‘Tas’ Tasgal — Arithmocracy: Why numbers numb us; stories stir us.
2. Dion Wiggins — The Digital Sovereignty Imperative.
3. Professor Dave Snowden — Why AI is not human intelligence.
Event Organisers
GBAITA convenes global business, investment, and technology leaders to explore market shifts, cross border growth, and the forces shaping the future of global business.
CIO Connect brings together Hong Kong’s senior technology leaders for candid, peer level conversations on strategy, innovation, and enterprise transformation.
Supporting Organisations
The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
OASA HK
Institute of Management Consultants Hong Kong
Asia Insight Circle
Agenda
2:00 – 2:30 — Registration and Coffee
2:30 – 3:15 — Arithmocracy — Anthony ‘Tas’ Tasgal
The "arithmocracy" is described as a "powerful left-brained administrative caste" which attaches importance only to things that can be expressed in numerical terms or on a chart. Tas argues against this mindset, emphasizing the limitations of data and the importance of human psychology, creativity, and the "psycho-logic" that often defies simple quantification. Key sections of his talk will include; Valuing the Unquantifiable; The Danger of Logic Over Psychology; and Creativity as an Antidote
3:15 – 3:30 — Networking break
3:30 – 4:15 — The Digital Sovereignty Imperative — Dion Wiggins
Dion will address the delusion that the management of data and its processing infrastructure that delivers applications for governments, companies, and individuals can be outsourced. He will explain why Digital Sovereignty is crucial in ensuring autonomy, security, and resilience against foreign control, regulatory conflicts, and cyber threats in an uncertain world driven by complex geopolitics, data privacy concerns, and reliance on global tech providers.
4:15 – 4:30 — Networking break
4:30 – 5:15 — AI is not Human Intelligence — Prof. Dave Snowden
Dave argues that AI is not human intelligence but rather a form of "artificial inference" or algorithmic calculation. He emphasizes that AI excels at identifying patterns in past data (inductive reasoning), whereas human intelligence involves unique, creative, and context-dependent sense-making (abductive and embodied reasoning). In his talk , he will present a framework to describe the circumstances when AI will be very effective and those when HI will be fundamental.
5:15 – 6:00 — Panel discussion
Close of Conference
Conference Fee HK$1888 - Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdkUkY5r-LMQWROkS2iFKH3nm1R5iO4TzXRPbOJG0cW-dCCHA/viewform