The Economics and European Economics in the current international climate; AI and the digital divide; and the role of diplomacy in the geopolitical landscape: a discussion the University

Does the European Union have the economic, regulatory, and industrial tools needed to compete with the United States and China? What strategies are companies adopting to integrate AI while preserving work ? How can corporate diplomacy be structured to balance corporate influence with the protection of the public interest?

These and other issues were discussed last Thursday, March 12, at the second edition of congress , a forum organized by students Degree Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) Degree At the meeting, attended by more than 200 students, experts from various companies—including Amazon, BBVA, IBM, Telefónica, and Global Factor, among others—analyzed the challenges facing business, politics, and society in an environment of global uncertainty.

workshop , chaired by Julia Pavón, dean of the School Philosophy Humanities, featured presentations by Ludger Gruber, director the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung for Spain and Portugal; and Jacobo Ramos, professor Degree Philosophy, Politics, and Economics PPE) Degree . This was followed by the roundtable discussion, “Artificial Intelligence, Social Inclusion, and the Digital Divide: Current Political Issues,” featuring Estela Quesada, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at IBM Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Israel; José Antonio del Valle, board member of DATAI at the University of Navarra; and Juan Luis Redondo, director Digital Public Policy at Telefónica.

Among other issues, Estela Quesada noted that “human talent is the most important pillar” and elaborated on the need for training to empower underrepresented groups. For his part, José Antonio del Valle highlighted the importance of ethics in a changing world and the emergence of new roles within companies, such as the advisor for Artificial Intelligence. Finally, Juan Luis Redondo offered an optimistic view of the human impact of AI, highlighting how new technologies also facilitate access to technology for older adults and people with disabilities.

In a second roundtable, David Sarasa, an economist at BBVA Research; Fernando Candau del Cid, Head of Sales at ING and director for Spain and Portugal in Private Banking; and Francisco Burgos, director Institutional Business at Cobas Asset Management, discussed the Economics and European Economics in the current international context and analyzed the trends, risks, and opportunities currently present in the sector. Sarasa warned of geopolitical risks at strategic points such as the Strait of Hormuz and the new cycle of European expense . On the investment front, Fernando Candau cautioned about the impact of inflation on savings and the importance of discipline to avoid short-term mistakes. For his part, Francisco Albino Burgos advocated value investing as a strategy for identifying opportunities in a European market that offers solid companies at attractive prices.

The congress with a session on corporate diplomacy and its role in the geopolitical landscape, featuring presentations by Leonor Echevarria, Head of European Public Affairs at CaixaBank; Kepa Solaun, Partner and General Manager at Globalfactor; and Jon Guinea, Public Policy Manager at Amazon. Echevarría analyzed the European regulatory process, noting that regulations such as the AI Act aim to anticipate technological risks, and emphasized the need for companies to participate in design to prevent laws that are out of touch with operational reality. For his part, Kepa Solaun warned about the costs of regulatory compliance and the use of regulation as tool strategic sovereignty by states. Finally, Jon Guinea highlighted the challenge posed by the speed of innovation versus the slowness of the legislative process, advocating for a balance that protects the public interest without stifling business competitiveness.

The workshop with a cocktail reception, where students had the opportunity to approach the speakers and ask them questions in a more relaxed setting. The congress was sponsorship Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Bodega Otazu, Cobas Asset Management, Value School, and Global Factor, the latter of which also had recruiters on hand during the event to inform students about employment opportunities the fields of consultancy service sustainability.