The president of Microsoft Spain, Alberto Granados, declares himself a "great defender of human relations". The message is important because it comes from the head in Spain of the most cutting-edge multinational in technology called to change our relationship with the world: artificial intelligence. It will allow us, according to him, to free ourselves from tedious tasks and focus on dealing with others, on creativity and on a critical spirit.
While the multinational advances with ChatGPT and Open AI in the new challenge, Microsoft Spain has just received for the first time in 35 years the award for the best subsidiary among all those spread throughout the world thanks to successes in aspects such as the cloud, satisfaction of customers or job creation.
How do you disconnect from the screens?
My way of disconnecting is looking for other topics. On the weekends I read history, biology topics, especially about evolutionary issues and neural networks. I like painting, art history, comics and making caricatures. I take advantage of ChatGPT to open learning topics.
Also with family?
We are a family with a lot of digital education, capable of leaving the mobile outside and being present. We always look for that human contact. Human relations have to be above all else.
What time is ChatGPT?
It is the most adapted technology in history, with 100 million users in three months. We are in a Gutenberg moment, before one of the greatest innovations that has ever occurred. It will transform the way we work. It is a business that will reach around 127,000 million euros in 2023 with an annual growth of 28%.
How will it change our lives?
It's not going to do anything we didn't, but it's going to do it in milliseconds. Now the most important thing will be creativity and empathy. In a worldwide survey of 31,000 companies asking how we spend our time, the result is that 57% go to routine tasks and 43% to create something new. Artificial intelligence has to take away that routine part to allow time for creativity, empathy and giving more value.
In all fields?
It can be applied to whatever you want. A contact center may have more time to talk to the customer, or a scientist, to research new vaccines or drugs. Of course, be careful what you ask for because he will give it to you. Our brain is not prepared to be creative or empathic for that long. We are also going to have to evolve in the way we interact and work.
Without previous knowledge it is more difficult to be creative.
Artificial intelligence can give you the data to develop a critical spirit. The most advanced universities are using generative artificial intelligence and ChatGPT precisely because they want to develop the critical spirit of students. In some universities, the final tests are now oral. The work done with the help of artificial intelligence has to be presented, and that is where the critical spirit and creativity acquire a unique way of adding value. We don't think it's going to take away our intellect, but that it's going to take away routine tasks to have space with which to have that intellect.
There is the risk of supplanting the image and voice of a person.
We have more than 350 people working full-time to prevent transparency, bias, and security issues. We work with the EU to define the new regulation. We have three axes. The first, that the data resides in Europe and is not touched by non-European authorities. The second, always report that there are fraud practices. And the third, that all AI providers should put a watermark so that the consumer knows that he is speaking with a voice or reading a document or seeing a photograph generated by artificial intelligence. Those watermarks have to be mandatory. Artificial intelligence has to have a human handbrake.
How are the three data center projects in Spain going?
They will be available in the coming months. We are already working not only on making it available, but also on expanding it. The centers in Meco, Algete and San Sebastián de los Reyes, in the Community of Madrid, will be the largest in Europe and will have the most advanced technological capabilities. The Microsoft cloud will contribute around 25,000 million to GDP in Spain by 2024, of which 2,500 million correspond to the impact of the new cloud region. We believe that Spain can become a leading country in Europe in the development of artificial intelligence.
In Barcelona they have a team dedicated to artificial intelligence. How is the commitment to the city?
We have spent some time with about a hundred people working in Barcelona around artificial intelligence. The team is engaged in research and development of search-related generative artificial intelligence equipment.
In Spain they also stand out for their business alliances.
We have around 12,000 partners in Spain actively working to adopt artificial intelligence, with cases such as LaLiga, La Caixa, Santander, Repsol, Prosegur, Ferrovial or Técnicas Reunidas. The commitment in Spain is to continue consolidating strategic partners so that companies improve their income statements, generate more value for the customer and accelerate growth by raising productivity. It is not just a technological project, but a cultural, strategic, financial and ethical responsibility project.
Does the change you propose permeate the entire organization?
It's not just approving a technology, it's a matter of the board of directors. We have never seen so many conversations with boards of directors about adopting artificial intelligence at the highest level. It is not something of the technological director, but of the CEO.
Does it also work for small companies?
First, we apply this capacity to the Ibex 35, to the largest companies, but the commitment is to make it democratic, so that all SMEs can achieve it. We publish algorithms for free use so that small businesses can access it. It is an industrial approach.
There is the problem of cyber attacks.
We have been actively working with Ukraine since the start of the conflict and have created the concept of cybersecurity co-pilot to protect businesses. Now cybercriminals have an advantage, but we think that with artificial intelligence that will end.
What advice would you give to a student who doesn't know what the future holds?
Train and access free AI courses, whether you want to be a psychologist, lawyer or architect. It's key. It is an exciting time, with everything to be invented. We are going to need more humanistic careers and different careers, beyond knowing how to code. I think it's a fantastic time for job creation. I see it backwards as it is said.
