The government delegate in Galicia, Pedro Blanco, today reaffirmed the commitment of the government of Pedro Sánchez to eliminate the digital divide between urban Galicia and rural Galicia. He did so at the opening of the Forum Talentia Summit, A meeting that serves as a prelude to the homonymous job fair held in Santiago de Compostela. The delegate valued this event as an opportunity for young people to know the great talent that exists in the companies of Galicia.
Pedro Blanco focused his speech on the challenges faced by the Government of Spain in the face of the extension of artificial intelligence and digitalization, topics that are the focus of this year’s Forum’s reports. In this regard, he insisted that the Government of Spain is assuming this responsibility in both aspects, that of technology and legislation, with the aim of achieving a “free, open and inclusive digital society”, and ensuring that “the development of technology and artificial intelligence contributes to the common good and strengthens democratic values”.
Bet on digitization
Regarding technology, the delegate reiterated the commitment to eliminate the digital divide between rural and urban Galicia, so that “all Galicians and Galicians have the same technological tools regardless of where we live or where we want to live”. Thus, the Government is investing 90 million euros to connect 240,000 families and companies in the 313 municipalities of Galicia through the UNICO-Broadband Program with fiber optics. A program with the horizon set in 2025, when the “100 per 100 of the Galician territory will have high-speed internet coverage”, he advanced.
This program is joined by investments to ensure the extension of 5G technology to mobile communication, also focused on rural areas and towns in Galicia. Pedro Blanco reported that the Government reserves in Galicia about 90 million euros for this objective through two actions: the first, to modernize the mobile phone towers that are outside the cities, and the second, to guarantee 5G coverage in municipalities of less than 5,000 hab.
Along with the elimination of the digital divide, the delegate also meant the commitment to the digitalization of the productive system and the economy with programs of great impact in Galicia such as the Digital Kit. This program is already allowing 20,000 SMEs and autonomous people of Galicia to access innovative technological solutions with 85 million euros of public aid.
A normative revolution
The delegate addressed the regulatory challenge that the government is facing in the face of the “unstoppable” evolution of artificial intelligence, “a debate that has a great legislative and ethical burden and in which I can say that Spain is doing its homework.”
He stressed that the Government of Pedro Sánchez was a pioneer in approving a Charter of Digital Rights and was also the first to create a State Agency for Supervision of Artificial Intelligence, “which will begin operating this year in the city of A Coruña.” At this moment, moreover, the Spanish Government is leading the negotiations for the approval of the European Regulation of Artificial Intelligence, “a clear and ethical framework to stimulate the development of Artificial Intelligence from European values and the defense of Human Rights”.