The Foment del Treball headquarters in Barcelona hosted this event, co-organized by IPG Mediabrands and La Vanguardia, to delve deeper into the transformations that AI is driving from the perspective of companies in Catalonia and Spain.
Faced with a new era in which Artificial Intelligence is enabling different complementary paths of evolution, the group of media and communication agencies IPG Mediabrandshas presented at the headquarters of Promotion of TreballIn collaboration with The vanguard, his vision of this new ecosystem, as well as the challenges and opportunities that currently arise for companies. About 200 professionals from the corporate sector have attended this conference, where they have been able to share impressions and see first-hand what the implications of AI are in their respective business areas.
David Colomer, Regional CEO Iberia and Italy of IPG Mediabrandsa group of communication and media agencies associated with Foment del Treball, and Maria Mora, Director of Innovation at Foment, have been in charge of opening this event. Through their intervention they have highlighted how AI, from an exercise of absolute development and disruption, is transforming the vision and business structure of companies. Something that, in Colomer’s words “must be accompanied by a humanist vision that puts people at the center of development.”
Behind them, Oriol Arjona, Managing Director of IPG Mediabrands Barcelona, has linked this phenomenon to the challenges that now arise in brand strategies, as well as to the transversal opportunities that have been activated from this technological development. With this approach, it has given way to the presentation of the study «AI Disruption» and, later, to a round table of experts, made up of some of the most prominent local players in this field.
Round table: AI from the perspective of the contemporary company
The auditorium of the headquarters of Promotion of Treball has served as a meeting point for four experts in different fields, in which they have shared their knowledge and experiences in relation to Artificial Intelligence. Jordi Morral, Managing Director of UM Barcelona (IPG Mediabrands)has been in charge of moderating the round table in which different perspectives on the adoption and use of this constantly evolving technology in the corporate sphere have been presented.
During the table, José Antonio López (JAL), Chief Information Officer of TOUS, has explained what processes his company is following in the face of the opportunities presented by AI, focusing on the jewelry sector and its capabilities in the relationship with the consumer. «At TOUS we are committed to technological innovation as a pillar of our growth, improving production processes, customer experience and organizational efficiency. In line with our new GEM (Growth, Elevation and Mindset) strategic plan, we will accelerate the use of analytical, advanced Artificial Intelligence, data and immersive technologies. Currently, our organizational capabilities already include the development of language and image processing algorithms, essential for product recommendation and trend forecasting,” he stressed. JAL.
In addition, Mónica Villas, co-founder and co-director of the OdiseIA training area, has focused on the state of the European regulatory framework, as well as on AI training from the perspective of ethical standards: «When we started the digital transformation we had to learn to work in a different way and now it is time to reflect on the use that we make of AI. “We must help companies change their culture of relationship with this technology, now that we are entering a new stage, that of responsible AI.” Villashas pointed out how it is necessary for companies to not only train their teams in the ethical use of AI, but, in turn, create multidisciplinary ethical committees that guarantee the correct application of this tool.
For its part, Carles Aldeguer, director of Process Engineering at CaixaBank, has delved into the challenges and benefits of early adoption of AI, from the point of view of the banking sector. «To tackle AI, there is a lot to prepare and analyze. We must anchor ourselves in a clear strategic vision and know where to execute AI from. If we want to incorporate usage models, we must first analyze where we are as a company, establish a strategic transition, as well as take advantage of all our data, our information, and organize it in a way that is useful, truthful and well segmented. From there, changes in business models will emerge,” he explained. Aldeguer.
Finally, Patricia Collteacher and journalist specialized in AI, has highlighted the importance of incorporating this technology in the educational field and the media, becoming a revolution “hyperaccelerated” to which all sectors have to adapt. «AI must be an ally to be able to do quality journalism, not the opposite. It is necessary to inform citizens about its evolution which, as we have seen in recent months with generative AI, is rapid and transversal. Citizens are and want to be informed about AI. However, they distrust the credibility of the content it may generate, especially if it is not supervised by a journalist,” he commented. Coll.
AI Disruption: A new disruption scenario for brands
«AI Disruption»as this paper developed by the professionals of the specialized teams of IPG Mediabrands, breaks down the emergence of AI from a corporate, technological and regulatory perspective, also encompassing its social implications in the era of decentralized connections. This is an extensive research project that delves into the knowledge, adoption and perception of this new reality in Spain.
Cristina LeraChief Data & Technology Officer, and Miguel ColomerHead of Cloud Technologies, on behalf of KINESSO-IPG Mediabrandsaccompanied by Mapi MerchanteAnalytics, Insights & Strategy Director, and Traver PachecoHead of Strategy, IPG Mediabrands, have been in charge of presenting the main data of this paper. In their exhibition, they have taken a tour through the technological advances of recent decades and how they have led us to this moment in history (the Era of Adoption). In addition, they have explored the emergence of AI as an accelerator of multiple industries and a catalyst for «New Expanded Digital Space» : a technological ecosystem as rich as it is complex, which presents a multitude of challenges and innovation opportunities for brands.
Among the most notable results of the research project, it has been revealed how 8 out of 10 Spaniards believe that AI will have a crucial impact on their daily activitiesor that 2 out of 3 are already familiar with it, although there is not yet a broad understanding of its capabilities.
