The Next Frontier: Teaching AI How the World Works | Panathēnea 2026

What comes after today's AI models and how do we teach machines to better understand the world around them? At Panathēnea 2026, Anastasis Germanidis, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Runway, joins Pete Benedetto, Head of EMEA at Endeavor Catalyst, for a conversation on the next frontier of artificial intelligence and the technologies shaping the future of human-computer interaction. As AI rapidly evolves beyond language models into systems capable of understanding images, video, sound, and the physical world, researchers and entrepreneurs are pushing the boundaries of what intelligent systems can perceive, reason about, and create. Drawing on his experience building one of the world's leading AI companies, Germanidis explores how advances in multimodal AI are redefining creativity, productivity, and the way humans interact with technology. Together, Germanidis and Benedetto discuss the opportunities and challenges of developing AI systems with a richer understanding of the world, the future of generative AI, and what the next wave of innovation could mean for creators, businesses, and society. Whether you're a founder, researcher, investor, builder, or technology enthusiast, this session offers valuable insights into where artificial intelligence is headed next.