In this second part , I will discuss my favourite sessions at Web Summit Rio 2025! Here we go! 

The content:

I found the session content to be impressively diverse — perhaps even a bit too broad at times, though that’s just a personal take. With an audience coming from so many different backgrounds, it makes sense to try to offer something for everyone. Topics ranged from AI, cybersecurity, and fintech to cryptocurrencies, blockchain, Web3, climate tech, sustainability, entrepreneurship, marketing, and digital media. It was a well-rounded mix that aimed to cover nearly every corner of the tech landscape.

The event had multiple stages, each dedicated to different themes, with a central Main Stage reserved for the most high-profile speakers.

1. Wake Me Up Before the AI Takes Over – Aloe Blacc, Kayvan Nikjou

I only attended one session there — Aloe Blacc’s — and I’m glad I did, that was really fun with some really good points. Titled “Wake Me Up Before the AI Takes Over,” the talk explored the intersection of AI and music. It was super engaging session: Aloe not only shared insights but also sang parts of his hits “I Need a Dollar” and “Wake Me Up,” which gave the session a great energy.

He spoke about how AI is reshaping the music industry, and how many artists today are becoming more like brands — earning more from influence and presence than from the music itself. He acknowledged that AI isn’t perfect yet when it comes to music industry, but described it as powerful, profound, and worth betting on — though it still needs fine-tuning at this point in its evolution. 

One of my favorite points he made was about ''authentic influence'': Can AI ever create true influence, or will it always feel fake? His perspective was that once we have a generation that grows up with AI — a truly AI-native generation — what feels artificial to us now may one day feel completely real to them. It was an interesting vision of how perception and technology evolve hand in hand.

While I aimed to explore a variety of topics, I was particularly drawn to sessions on crypto and blockchain, along with a mix of AI, a bit of cybersecurity, and some interesting discussions around media and marketing.

When attending an event like this, it’s essential to plan ahead by picking a few key tracks and building a personal agenda. As I mentioned, moving between stages isn’t easy — especially with no breaks between sessions — so having a clear plan makes a big difference.

Not many people know this, but I’ve been passionate about crypto and blockchain technology since 2018. I’ve spent a lot of time reading and staying up to date on how this space continues to evolve. So naturally, when I saw there was a dedicated stage for fintech at the event, I knew that’s where I’d be spending most of my time — and I absolutely did.

2. Cryptopia- Marcelo Sampaio, Reinaldo Rabelo, Kathleen Breitman

One of the sessions I attended was a panel called “Cryptopia,” which explored how the pro-crypto stance of the new U.S. administration is going to influence Latin America and beyond. A key takeaway was that Latin America — and Brazil in particular — is actually ahead of the curve in terms of crypto and blockchain adoption. The panel also discussed how supportive U.S. regulators could accelerate global adoption by encouraging other countries to follow suit.

One of the most interesting points from the discussion was around the tokenization of receivables and the use of smart contracts — innovations that Brazil has been leading since 2019. While other countries are starting to follow suit, the panel highlighted that meaningful progress will rely on clear and supportive regulatory frameworks. Another standout insight was the reminder that crypto is still in a phase of early evolution and experimentation. As the space matures, we’ll likely see it transform in both form and function. The technology itself has real potential to serve a purpose and positively impact people’s lives. At its core, crypto should be viewed less as a vehicle for price speculation, and more as a driver of technological innovation.

One of my favorite and valuable takeaways from this panel was the idea of viewing crypto as a phenomenon — not something to take too seriously just yet, but rather something to observe, explore, and understand. The key is to focus on its potential utility: what it could eventually offer you, and how this new architectural shift might transform open-source software by driving costs down to almost zero. It’s less about hype and more about uncovering the practical, transformative value it could bring over time.

This was definitely one of my favorite sessions of the conference — especially when it comes to crypto and blockchain topics.

Should Veeam explore the world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain? Personally, I see a lot of untapped potential — especially when it comes to data trust, immutability, and compliance. It’s not about diving into crypto for the sake of it, but rather exploring how blockchain could strengthen what Veeam already does best. Curious to hear your thoughts on this!

3. Can we trust a fully digital government? Brittany Kaiser, Daniel Catalao, Kaarel Kotkas

This session was, from my perspective, one of the most interesting discussions on data at the conference. It was tackled critical questions around the integration of emerging technologies in government and politics, with a strong focus on data ownership. Who truly owns your data? How can individuals gain legal or even property rights over their digital assets? What do consent, permission structures, and transparency look like in a world where data is monetized — and how can people claim a share of that revenue?

A standout moment was when Brittany announced the introduction of Dataprev,  Brazil’s government-run data agency, which is launching a groundbreaking national pilot program through the Social Security Administration. For the first time, Brazilian citizens with social security accounts will have the option to enroll in a data ownership wallet and data savings plan. This initiative allows individuals to view all data sets held about them, decide which can be shared for monetization, and earn 50% of the revenue generated. What an incredible announcement! I’m genuinely curious to see how this unfolds. If the pilot proves successful, it could set a powerful precedent — reshaping how governments around the world approach data ownership, privacy, and citizen empowerment. I’ll definitely be keeping a close eye on it. Just imagine the global ripple effect if this model takes off!

Brittany is also a co-founder of Eliza Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eliza Labs. Their flagship product, Eliza OS, is currently the most widely used global framework for agentic AI systems — enabling the creation of AI agents and swarms. What sets it apart is that it’s fully open-source and publicly auditable, allowing anyone to trace data flows and understand how the system operates. Eliza OS can even run on-chain, which appeals strongly to blockchain advocates, as the data becomes immutable and tamper-proof. This transparency-first approach stands in sharp contrast to many of today’s leading AI companies that rely on closed-source, black-box models.

The rest of the talk was a lot around politics in the US and freedom of data, I would rather not go into that since it takes some sides.

 The remainder of the talk focused heavily on U.S. politics and data freedom, but I would rather not go into that — it leaned into certain viewpoints, and I’d prefer to keep things neutral here.

But overall , I think it was a great and really inspiring , very forward-thinking conversation about what government-led, transparent, and publicly auditable data systems could look like — systems built on trust, user empowerment, and fairness.

4. A Conversation with Desi, the Humanoid Robot- Pamela Mackay, Matthew Ikle

Another of my favorite sessions at the conference was getting to see Desi the robot in action. Attendees could ask her questions live, and the interaction quickly became one of the most fun and engaging parts of the day. The questions covered everything from deep topics like self-awareness and ethics to lighter ones like favorite music and go-to dish.

Desi was developed by David Hanson and the team at Hanson Robotics, powered by SingularityNET. She’s part of a broader initiative within the Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) Alliance, a collaboration between Fetch.ai, SingularityNET, Ocean Protocol, and CUDOS. The alliance’s mission is to create a decentralized, ethical, and accessible AI ecosystem that pushes the boundaries of both AI and Web3 innovation.

However, SingularityNET's mission goes beyond just facilitating conversations — the ultimate goal is to achieve true artificial general intelligence. The focus is on benevolence, with a vision to help humanity address complex challenges and work toward a brighter, more optimistic future for all living beings.

5. Recipes for engagement: feeding community through social media : Benjamin Buthmann, Cheff Otto, Matz Bech

It was an interesting conversation about the journey of being a creator or digital nomad — while it may kickstart your career, lasting success depends on building a loyal community and evolving it into a business that goes beyond just you.

People want more than screen-based interaction — they’re looking for authentic connection. Your content becomes a space where followers, superfans, and those who truly believe in your work can come together. Chef Otto shared some insights on how he keeps his community engaged, expands his reach, and creates long-term loyalty among his audience. In this context , Benjamin discussed they Koala App , a community customized platform that helps you stay connected with your fans and it also creates a space for your fans to interact between them.

It was an interesting conversation about the creator and digital nomad journey — while it might be enough to get things off the ground, real, lasting success comes from building a loyal community and eventually turning that into a business that isn’t entirely dependent on you.

People crave more than just consuming content through a screen — they’re seeking real, meaningful connection. Great content can become a hub for followers, superfans, and anyone who truly resonates with your message. Chef Otto shared how he keeps his audience engaged, broadens his reach, and fosters long-term loyalty. In this context, Benjamin, the founder of Koala App — a customizable community platform designed to help creators stay connected with their fans while also fostering interaction between community members — shared how he’s supporting Chef Otto in his journey to grow and strengthen his community through the platform. By using Koala App, they’re working together to create a more engaging, connected space that goes beyond one-way content and builds lasting relationships.