Featuring cutting-edge technology and professional insight, the fourth annual Global Innovator Conference (GIC) , which was held in Beijing on Friday,  showcased breakthroughs in business, culture, nature and much more.

The liveliest concept this year was how a new civilization can be created through digital development. Those at the fourth annual Global Innovator Conference say the arrival of a digital society may be closer than we realize.

Jovan Kurbalija, executive director of the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation, said they are trying to open all possibilities for innovative, curious, creative developments, while also taking into consideration a responsibility towards future generations, public stability, rule of law, engagement, and overall responsibility for societal developments.

Enterprises are committed to tackling a wider array of social issues with their digital high-tech capabilities. That includes reshaping living conditions and business environments. During the event, JD Finance Group announced a plan to build an intelligent city. It will use data gathered from e-commerce and other sources to revive physical stores, build a social credit system and even tackle air pollution. The company is even preparing to officially rename itself JD Digital Technology.

Zheng Yu, vice president and chief data scientist at JD Finance Group, said the logic behind renaming is similar to that of Google. “Now we are doing more – not only financial technology, but for the entire city, and new technologies for other companies. This is the natural trend,” Zheng added.

And experts agree that a digital civilization also embodies philosophical issues like happiness and aesthetics. Masuda Muneaki, founder of Tsutaya, one of the world's best-known bookstores, introduced a loyalty card that also includes data that builds a persona. Thus, the specially tailored bookstores with cross-boundary services create both online and offline platforms where customers achieve happiness and a life of self-fulfillment.

It might all seem positive, but ethical issues of utilizing digital technology have surfaced. Film director and special effects artist Anthony Lamolinara agreed on the positive impact of technological development on filmmaking. “I'm also concerned about who is guiding and who is making the creative subject what it is,” he said, “and that's when I speak about marketing.”

At the China International Import Expo and concurrent World Internet Conference, Chinese President Xi Jinping once again emphasized the importance of developing the digital sector to benefit people worldwide. And from such exchanges and conflicts of viewpoints, many believe the goal could be closer.