SAN FRANCISCO, March 4 — Instead of cancelling their Cloud Next ‘20 developer conference due to coronavirus concerns, Google took the initiative to make the event a digital experience.

While major conferences spanning numerous industries are being cancelled in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Google has opted to transform its in-person Cloud Next ‘20 developer conference into an immersive digitalized event renamed as Google Cloud Next ‘20: Digital Connect.

The event, which is designed to give visitors insight as to how people and brands use Google’s Cloud technologies, will be free and take place on the same days the conference was originally scheduled for: April 6 to April 8. Attendees will be able to watch keynotes and even participate in breakout, interactive learning, and “ask an expert” sessions.

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Over past years, Google Cloud Next has been host to major technological announcements including the launch of the company’s AI Platform, updates to the brand’s Cloud technology including security updates and releases of tools for developers like plugins and extensions designed to streamline their work.

 

 

Google is one of the few companies to digitally transform their conference in response to coronavirus concerns; others have simply cancelled these events at which thousands of people were expected to attend. The Mobile World Congress, Geneva Motor Show, Game Developers Conference and Facebook’s F8 — which wasn’t expected to take place until May—have been cancelled without being reimagined or rescheduled.

Considering that Google is able to digitalize this event that in the past has had more that 10,000 people in attendance, it’s possible that upcoming conferences like Google I/O and Microsoft Build could still go on despite the virus threat. — AFP-Relaxnews