Tecnun and Fomento de San Sebastián promote a research Chair on the social impact of Artificial Intelligence
17 | 03 | 2025
This morning took place the signature between the School and Fomento de San Sebastian of a partnership agreement for the next 4 years that will promote a research on the use of Applied Artificial Intelligence with social impact. The agreement was signed by Ane Oyarbide, Councillor for Economics and Local employment and Raúl Antón, director of Tecnun.
The Sociedad de Fomento has been analyzing for some time the different initiatives in the use of AI that are taking place in the city, which already has an important ecosystem formed by technology centers and leading companies in the sector. Recognizing the rapid evolution and multiple derivatives of this technology, both entities are launching this partnership to investigate and analyze the impact of its implementation in San Sebastian, allowing our ecosystem to make better use of AI.
The agreement includes the creation of a Chair that will allow the development of a doctoral thesis on this highly topical subject. One of the lines of work will be the transfer of knowledge to knowledge companies (SEIC), which already represent more than 30% of employment in San Sebastian and contribute more than 49% of the GDP. This is the opinion of Tecnun's Director of Business Relations, Rocío Núñez: "This Chair will enable the transfer of knowledge in new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to the business sector of San Sebastian. This will be achieved by facilitating the connection with young talent, providing training in these matters to local companies, and collaborating in knowledge dissemination, entrepreneurship and innovation activities with social impact. We will also promote initiatives that raise awareness of training in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics".
For Ane Oyarbide, Councilor for Economics and Local employment , "Artificial Intelligence is one of the great drivers of change. In San Sebastian we have a vibrant ecosystem of companies already working with this technology, and our commitment is to promote its use to generate a positive impact, based on principles and ethics, as well as to encourage innovation and competitive improvement in the business sector".
In addition, the factors that contribute to the development this subject of companies in the city will also be investigated, as well as their technological needs and their impact on the sustainability of the city will be evaluated. All these analyses will provide Fomento de San Sebastián with tools to improve the technological capabilities of the current business network and, in turn, to promote the generation of new SEIC companies in the city.
In addition to the doctoral thesis , thanks to the Chair it will be possible to support Final Degree Projects and Final Master Projects, organize different dissemination and training activities focused on research on Artificial Intelligence or the organization of competitions such as the MIT Lincoln Laboratory of satellite emulators for high school diploma students with a special focus on the female audience.
A junior engineer will participate in the Chair s research , who will do his thesis on the subject, as well as a research manager and faculty partner.
