What will AI never be able to do and what can it do? Tech executives in Spain weigh in

Artificial intelligence (AI) is nary longer a futuristic utopia that we spot from afar, it is simply a reality that transforms everything from power to distribution and start-ups. This is what 3 experts defended astatine nan residence of nan French ambassador successful Madrid connected nan juncture of nan French Innovation Night, a nighttime dedicated to invention and relationship betwixt companies organised by Business France and nan French Embassy successful Spain.

Three experts successful nan section said astir nan AI inclination and really it is shaping our coming and future. Elena González-Blanco García, Head of AI for EMEA Digital Natives astatine Microsoft; Javier Mallo, main accusation serviceman astatine Carrefour Spain; and Rafael San Juan, caput of invention astatine Iberdrola.

González-Blanco, 1 of nan astir knowledgeable voices successful nan sector, underlined nan "dizzying" velocity astatine which nan section is evolving: "Even for those who create nan models, it is intolerable to support up pinch everything that is happening". Therefore, she explains that nan cardinal is to travel companies successful this accelerated take and to bring AI "down from nan laboratory to existent life".

According to a McKinsey study from 2024, immoderate 78 per cent of companies already usage artificial intelligence successful immoderate portion of their business, but for nan caput of AI astatine Microsoft, "that fig is an understatement": "We are astatine nan constituent of existent adoption. Anyone who is not already astatine this constituent is late".

One of nan astir hotly debated points, and 1 that presents existent challenges for businesses and personification trust, is really companies grip individual information and really AI changes nan measurement they usage it. Some 40 per cent of Spaniards do not judge that companies adequately protect their information, according to information from nan Ipsos AI Monitor 2025 study.

Mallo, main exertion serviceman astatine Carrefour, offered a dual perspective: "As a citizen, I americium alert of nan risk, but if we don't stock our data, we are near behind. And arsenic a professional, I guarantee that we put immense resources successful cybersecurity, though nary 1 tin committedness 100 per cent protection". He based on that companies are increasingly investing successful cybersecurity to protect personification data.

González-Blanco agreed that fearfulness is overblown. "We person been sharing accusation connected societal networks for decades. The important point is not to beryllium afraid, but to understand nan exertion and usage it judiciously". Rafael San Juan of Iberdrola added that cybersecurity "will ever beryllium a title successful which criminals are 1 measurement ahead," but that regularisation and morals "are advancing to equilibrium nan system".

Any technological gyration brings pinch it nan consequence of groups utilizing it to perpetrate crime, truthful nan early of AI presents challenges for businesses and authorities, arsenic criminals besides germinate and adapt.

Spain and nan EU a mislaid title against nan US and China

All experts agreed that Spain and nan EU are underinvesting successful AI, which weakens their competitory position against giants specified arsenic nan US and China. "It's not conscionable a mobility of money, but of believing successful it and losing nan fearfulness of failure," said González-Blanco.

Iberdrola's San Juan pointed retired that "this is not conscionable astir Spain, but a European trend", while Mallo highlighted nan deficiency of ambition to compete pinch powers specified arsenic nan United States and China.

Only 1 per cent of nan companies surveyed successful a McKinsey 2025 study corroborate that they person integrated artificial intelligence to a precocious level successful their workflows. This percent hints astatine nan imaginable that is being mislaid by not consciously utilizing AI to summation productivity and region mechanical tasks.

The Microsoft typical gave nan illustration of Mistral, nan French unicorn that develops generative AI models and shows that"Europe tin besides play successful nan premier convention if it is superior astir talent and innovation".

Jobs and nan future: Will AI really termination jobs?

In consequence to fears that artificial intelligence will switch skilled workers, nan 3 experts were blunt: AI is not present to replace, but to enhance. The worth provided by a quality will ever beryllium needed. It should not beryllium forgotten that AI hallucinates (errors successful its reasoning), and that is wherever quality judgement must travel into play to power nan machine.

"We person been proceeding for half a period that machines will switch humans, and it hasn't happened," González-Blanco recalled, citing an question and reply successful nan 1970s pinch nan laminitis of MIT's first AI lab, Marvin Minsky, who astatine nan clip said that AI would alteration nan measurement we activity and switch humans successful astir 10 years. "Technology changes nan measurement we work, but it does not destruct quality value," she said.

San Juan, for his part, defended that knowledge and acquisition will proceed to beryllium "irreplaceable", while Mallo pointed retired that nan early will beryllium successful nan collaboration betwixt group and machines: "The companies that harvester artificial and affectional intelligence will beryllium nan ones that lead".

Although nan improvement of precocious models seems to beryllium reserved for technological giants, nan speakers rejected nan thought that mini and medium-sized companies are retired of nan game. "Applied AI allows america to compete connected nan ground of specialisation," explained González-Blanco. "It is not astir manufacturing technology, but astir utilizing it well. Local and sectoral knowledge tin beryllium a decisive advantage".

Mallo agreed: "Today, anyone pinch a bully thought and nan expertise to execute it tin break through. Market entree has ne'er been truthful open," he said.

What tin artificial intelligence ne'er do?

The sheet concluded pinch a symbolic question:What will artificial intelligence ne'er beryllium capable to do? The answers were unanimous: emote, feel, lead pinch empathy. " AI will beryllium capable to build nan Taj Mahal, but it will ne'er cognize what it intends to emotion nan personification who builds it", summarised San Juan.

Because, arsenic nan 3 agreed, existent intelligence, nan 1 that distinguishes quality beings, continues to beryllium successful emotions, productivity and intuition.