Artificial Intelligence, an essential leap to the next level of the digital revolution

Barcelona has again hosted a new edition of the MWC, after the pause caused by the health crisis. As I pointed out in a previous article, the last 18 months have been a turning point in terms of technology adoption and it has highlighted the importance of connectivity as the lever that has allowed us to go on with our lives.

2020 will be remembered as the year when our world restarted with no turning back. All because there are not two lives, one digital and one analogue. There is only one life and our fear to live it in the digital space has vanished. We are no longer afraid of remote working, home schooling or video-appointments with our doctor.

The networks that have made connectivity and digitization a reality, are no longer just carrying data but enabling the world of the Artificial Intelligence. Nowadays, as much as a 40% of Internet traffic is non-human, generated by machines that are talking to each other. This leap forward in digitization is only the first step. This is a non-stoppable consequence of the digitization that is going to yield enormous amount of data that can be transformed into insights by the Artificial Intelligence.

Therefore, the first word that comes to mind is relevance. I am referring to the relevance of a solid telco sector, able of promoting the new generation digital infrastructures that will make this further and essential leap forward possible.

This is an extraordinary opportunity, and governments must attract the necessary investment. The digital world has wiped away the old rules of the analogue world. Just as no one would buy today a new car with a 30-year-old design, new rules are needed to govern the new digital world. The time to move forward is now.

In fact, the second keyword is reclaim. We must reclaim a new regulatory framework and new competition rules that will enable Europe to take the lead in the race for digital leadership.

Finally, this scenario of change evokes a third word: revolution. If we succeed in taking the digitization to the next level we will be going beyond the Digital Revolution into the Intelligent Revolution, with the potential to generate trillions of value. The necessary condition for this value to be realized is that we count on the smart digital infrastructure of the future.

Beyond this, it is our collective responsibility for future generations to spread the benefits of digitization and make sure that we do not leave anyone behind. We need a new Digital Deal to manage the digital transition with values and people at the core.

Our life gets exposed in the digital world as it never does in the analogue world. Data has become a new production factor. Our privacy and our individual data are part of our dignity.?We have the right to know who is using it and how, how much it is worth and who benefits from its value. We need to defend our fundamental values. And Europe, that is the center of humanist values, has a significant role to play in the respect.

This digital revolution is a once in a lifetime opportunity to reimagine the future. With great opportunities, comes great responsibility. Let us honor it.