Madrid, Spain. November 22, 2023 – Artificial Intelligence (AI) is undergoing a radical metamorphosis that transcends all spheres of society. AI has burst into multiple areas, triggering a paradigm shift that redefines how we interact with technology and how organizations manage their operations and work teams. This phenomenon promises to significantly shape our future, with applications ranging from improving business efficiency to developing solutions that boost societal well-being. However, guaranteeing the responsible use of AI involves grappling with various significant challenges.

This was the context within which Luis Álvarez Satorre, NEORIS EMEA President, was in charge of opening the debate during the second edition of #TrendTalks, organized by EJE&CON (Asociación Española de Ejecutiv@s y Consejer@s/The Spanish Association of Executives and Advisors ), under the premise 'Artificial Intelligence: Opportunity or Threat?'.

In his speech, Álvarez Satorre addressed various issues related to AI, from its history to current trends and the ethical challenges associated with this technology. Starting with a historical retrospective, he pointed out the most important milestones marking the evolution and impact of this technology, such as the creation of the first Chatbot (ELIZA) in 1960 and the emergence of transformative technologies in 2005. Additionally, he highlighted the crucial role of Generative AI, especially the large language models, such as ChatGPT, which has redefined technological interaction and quickly conquered a wide audience, becoming the newest technology to attract the most users in the least amount of time.

Álvarez Satorre explained the three types of AI that we know today — narrow, general and super — discussing the capabilities of each and highlighting that we currently only utilize the first one, which is mainly tasked with being ready to efficiently perform a single function.

Importantly, he took the opportunity to highlight the positive impact AI has in improving the output quality for programmers and how it gives companies the ability to tackle previously inaccessible projects. Still, he contrasted this with a caution about the risks involved in the application of AI and the need for adequate regulation in its development and deployment. “It is important to address these challenges, both by governments and various entities, to be able to work together and ensure that the regulatory and legislative framework not only protects, but also maximizes the opportunities that these technologies offer us,” explained Álvarez Satorre.

After his wide-ranging introduction to this important topic, Álvarez Satorre moderated a round table that brought together renowned business leaders such as Mariajo Bastero, Vice President of Talent Development and Digital Strategy Commission of EJE&CON and Commercial Director of Lynx Tech; Idoia Salazar, President and Founder of OdiseIA; and Carolina Castillo, Director of Operations and Marketing of Microsoft Spain. This panel of experts highlighted key topics such as the impact of AI on talent acquisition, specific use cases, the importance of ethical regulation and the value of data to feed this technology.