Salamanca Tech Summit second day features international experts in artificial intelligence, videogames, animation and biotechnology

Artificial intelligence constituted the main focus of the second day of the Salamanca Tech Summit, where the International Chair in Trustworthy AI and the Demographic Challenge of the University of Salamanca was presented to the attendees.

This chair, funded by the Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (SEDIA), and led by Juan Manuel Corchado, Rector and Professor of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at USAL, is framed in the highest category of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. Through this initiative, Salamanca will lead the development of artificial intelligence at national and international level with far-reaching initiatives.

APIs and their proper use was the subject of the first presentation of the day: "The (r)evolution of APIAs (API <+> AI)", by David Roldán, Professor at the UPV and Advisory Board Member of IWIB4AI. Then, at the roundtable "The integrity of information for the use of AI", Alberto Jiménez García, Insurance API Expert at AXPE Consulting, expanded on the facilities offered by APIs to a business.

One of the highlights of the day was the presentation by Agustín Santamaría, Director of Data&AI Solutions at Microsoft Iberia. During his speech, he stressed the importance of Spain expanding its workforce of software developers and their training in artificial intelligence, considering that Spain currently ranks fourth in the use of generative AI in Europe. In addition, he outlined the benefits and challenges of generative AI with an emphasis on the use of Copilot, Microsoft's artificial intelligence system.

Thursday morning also included presentations by Rubén Casado Tejedor, Managing Director and Data Lead at Accenture, and Julia Díaz, Head of Data Science at Repsol. Rubén stated that, when implementing artificial intelligence, it is the human who must verify that everything is correct: "AI without humans has no future". Julia Díaz detailed Repsol's commitment to the impact of generative artificial intelligence on its business with the launch of the Centre of Competence in Generative AI (CoC).

Inauguration of the International Video Games and Animation Hub

Among the novelties of the day was the launch of the International Video Games and Animation Hub "El Jap!" as an initiative of Castilla y León to promote the training of students and facilitate the activity of companies in these sectors. The inauguration of "El Jap!" was attended by experts such as Jorge Huguet, general manager and marketing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment for more than 20 years; Tomás Hijo, illustrator of more than 80 books and collaborator of Guillermo del Toro; Esther Morales, character designer and visual artist who has worked with clients such as Netflix or Cartoon Network, and Raúl Colomer, lighting expert and part of the team of "The Windshield Wiper", short film winner of the Oscar Award in 2021.

"Thanks to El Jap!, people will acquire the knowledge they need to develop video games. By combining the art and imagination of any person, together with the knowledge they can contribute, we can get big companies interested in our product", said Jorge Huguet during the roundtable in which he took part.

The ABIOINNOVA incubator and the last day of the event

With the aim of positioning Salamanca as a benchmark in innovation, technology, health and wellbeing, the Salamanca City Council, in collaboration with the Junta de Castilla y León and the INCYDE Foundation, has set up the ABIOINNOVA incubator, in the context of which presentations were given by international experts from countries such as the United States, Ireland and Qatar.

The last day of the Salamanca Tech Summit will take place this Friday with the presence of the well-known hacker Chema Alonso, Chief Digital Officer at Telefónica. In addition, topics such as cybersecurity, blockchain and educational technology will be addressed on a day that promises to have far-reaching impact and a high number of attendees.