The acting President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has closed the 33rd edition of the Meeting of the Digital Economy and Telecommunications of AMETIC. Sánchez has moved the Government's commitment in functions with digitalization. "We take this issue very seriously," he said. Therefore, he said that "digitalization is one of our priority areas of action." Along these lines, he commented that the digital transformation will bring one of the best times in the history of mankind, revolutionizing all economic sectors and improving the quality of life of citizens. "No human activity will be left out of digitalization and the great opportunities it can offer," he said.
Sánchez has moved that the technological transformation of the economy is a source of progress, but it also has to be of social progress. He has appealed for digitalization to reduce social inequalities. Sánchez has set the example of taking advantage of the opportunities offered by digitalization to fight against depopulation.
He has also stressed the importance that digital technologies can have in education, exponentially multiplying the abilities to know the world, including 5G, he explained. "Digitalization will allow us to move forward, but it has to be with social justice," he said. For the head of the Executive in office, technology allows us to be aware of the changes we are going to experience. In this regard, he commented on the impact that machines will have on unskilled jobs over the next decade. Sánchez has also talked about the growing importance of data: "Let's build a new productive factor around them." He has also highlighted the important role of Spain in the creation of startups.
Sanchez has taken advantage of the closure of the Meeting to influence the need for a stable government "as soon as possible", which addresses the great challenges facing Spain, including digitalization, which feeds on globalization, he explained. "It is time to prepare a digital constitution that establishes the basic principles of privacy, for example," said the acting president.
The last day of the Meeting has also had the institutional presence of the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, who has pointed out the dynamic role of digitalization in the Spanish economy, highlighting that digital transformation is in all Economy sectors In this context, the improvement of human capital is a preferred objective for the Government, Maroto explained. For this, he stressed the importance of promoting STEM professions, especially among women. He has also referred to the importance of public-private collaboration to tackle the great challenge of digitalization.
For his part, the Secretary of State for Digital Advance in functions, Francisco Polo, has expressed that digitalization is a multiplier tool that has to result in the well-being of citizens. In this sense, he has talked about “digital well-being”. Therefore, Polo has stressed that "the digital advance of Spain is a commitment at the highest level of the Executive." "We govern digitalization to achieve well-being and in defense of democracy," he concluded.
Samsung's corporate vice president, Celestino García, has given his vision on the future at the service of the industry, highlighting the opportunities offered by digitalization. From this future, which is already present, he has commented that security is a key element and will determine in many ways the speed with which technological transformation is undertaken. "We have to be prepared for the digital challenge of enabling technologies, since there is a great concern for digital access to services." Garcia has also mentioned the importance of public-private collaboration. In relation to 5G, he has emphasized that he will change the productive models from various approaches.
Digital Rate: consensus within the OECD
During the day it has been deliberated on the taxation in the digital economy, exposing the position of AMETIC and the OECD in this regard. It has been argued that a tax on certain digital services cannot be tackled unilaterally, and must be done by consensus within the OECD. Experts have commented on the economic impact that the Digital Rate would have on companies and the final consumer, in addition to placing Spain in a position of competitive disadvantage with respect to other countries. They have also explained that there is no evidence to suggest that digital companies pay less taxes than those that are not. This is one of the arguments used by the defenders of the Digital Rate.
Artificial intelligence has been another theme of the day. The speakers have analyzed the challenges of this enabling technology, its extensive applications, and have verified the wide path that this technology has. During the round table, the potential of artificial intelligence in digital transformation has been highlighted.
The last discussion table of the Meeting has dealt with the tractor projects: the innovation by missions. The speakers commented that mission innovation is the concept that is illustrating the new framework program of the European Union. In his opinion, it should become one of the pillars to establish the Government's industrial innovation policies.
With the focus on quantum technology
One of the new themes of the Meeting has been quantum technology, which is called to be an additional revolution in the sector, a paradigm shift, due to the large computing capacity that it will incorporate with the arrival of quantum computers, they have noted the experts. On the other hand, quantum technologies will have a great impact on cybersecurity, an absolutely decisive issue for the entire sector.
During the meeting, the president of AMETIC, Pedro Mier, had a conversation with Javier Tejada, Professor Emeritus of Quantum Physics at the University of Barcelona and National Research Prize on science, technology and the future of humanity. Tejada reviewed the evolution of humanity commenting that it has always been linked to energy consumption. He also talked about Artificial Intelligence and the important role it plays in mechanical work. The expert placed special emphasis on the importance of data, not only quantifying them, but knowing how to measure them and making good decisions based on them. Finally, Tejada was very satisfied with the university-company collaboration.
It was also discussed about the SME digitalization: the silent gap. Experts unanimously highlighted the importance of SMEs being digitized, since digital transformation will contribute to increasing their competitiveness and productivity in an environment that increasingly incorporates technological advances.
Closure of the 33rd edition of the Meeting
The president of AMETIC, Pedro Mier, has shown his satisfaction for the course of the 33rd edition of the Meeting of the Digital Economy and Telecommunications of AMETIC, the most veteran and with greater participation. Mier thanked the interest and commitment of the Government in functions for the digital industry. “We are at a critical moment for the industry we represent. In addition to being users, we have to aspire to be actors, and for that we have to develop technology. We have a great opportunity ahead of us and we want to address it well, from a country commitment, combining all the technological, political, economic and social forces, ”he said.
Mier has asked the Government for a function to create a Digital Vice Presence to boost innovation and digital reindustrialization. On the other hand, the president of AMETIC has highlighted the importance of having PGEs that reflect the Government's commitment to innovation. Mier has advocated having an "innovative state." AMETIC is prepared together with the public administrations to lead this great country project and has requested the necessary financial resources to achieve it.
The president of Santander Spain, Rodrigo Echenique, who first conveyed his congratulations to AMETIC for the Meeting, highlighted the importance of joining the change, undoubtedly supported by digitalization. Echenique has commented that "in this new digital era, the important thing is that all companies can be digitized." For this, he has advocated a regulatory framework that favors the digitalization of all companies. A framework that allows data to be exchanged securely for the benefit of all, he said. In this context, Echenique has highlighted the importance of education and training being oriented towards digital competencies.