Artificial intelligence (AI) has shed its sci-fi skin and is now a powerful engine of transformation across every sector, from energy and retail to the smallest startups. This was the central thesis defended by three leading experts at the French Innovation Night, an event hosted at the residence of the French ambassador in Madrid, organized by Business France and the French Embassy in Spain.
The panel, featuring Elena González-Blanco García (Head of AI for EMEA Digital Natives at Microsoft), Javier Mallo (Chief Information Officer at Carrefour Spain), and Rafael San Juan (Head of Innovation at Iberdrola), provided a comprehensive look at how AI is reshaping our present and sketching our future.
The Breakneck Speed of Real-World Adoption
González-Blanco, one of the sector’s most experienced voices, immediately set the stage by highlighting the “dizzying” speed of evolution. “Even for those who develop the models, it is impossible to keep up with everything that is happening,” she admitted. This acceleration, she argues, shifts the focus from pure research to practical application. The key mission for providers like Microsoft is to accompany companies in this accelerated adoption and to bring AI “down from the lab to real life.”
While a 2024 McKinsey study found that 78% of companies already use AI in some part of their business, González-Blanco believes “that figure is an understatement.” She issued a clear warning to the business community: “We are at the point of real adoption. Anyone who is not already at this point is late.”
The Data Dilemma: Balancing Innovation and Trust
One of the most critical discussions centered on the handling of personal data and the erosion of user trust in the AI era. With data from the Ipsos AI Monitor 2025 revealing that 40% of Spaniards doubt companies adequately protect their information, the challenge is palpable.
Javier Mallo of Carrefour offered a nuanced, dual perspective. “As a citizen, I am aware of the risk, but if we don’t share our data, we are left behind,” he acknowledged. “And as a professional, I guarantee that we invest huge resources in cybersecurity, although no one can promise 100 per cent protection.” He emphasized that corporate investment in digital shields is growing exponentially.
González-Blanco reframed the fear, noting, “We have been sharing information on social networks for decades. The important thing is not to be afraid, but to understand the technology and use it judiciously.” Rafael San Juan added a strategic layer, framing cybersecurity as “a race in which criminals are one step ahead,” but expressing confidence that regulation and ethical frameworks “are advancing to balance the system.” The consensus was clear: while AI introduces new risks, it also empowers new defenses, and the legal and ethical landscape is racing to catch up.
The Global Race: Can Europe Secure Its Place?
A sobering point of agreement among the panel was that Spain and the EU are underinvesting in AI, weakening their competitive stance against technological superpowers like the US and China. “It’s not just a question of money, but of believing in it and losing the fear of failure,” argued González-Blanco.
San Juan contextualized this as a continental issue, stating, “this is not just about Spain, but a European trend.” Mallo pointed to a deeper cultural problem: a lack of ambition to compete on this global stage.
The data underscores the opportunity cost. A McKinsey 2025 study found that only 1% of companies have integrated AI deeply into their workflows. This slow adoption hints at a vast reservoir of untapped potential for boosting productivity and automating mechanical tasks. However, González-Blanco pointed to a beacon of hope: Mistral, the French unicorn developing generative AI models. “Europe can also play in the premier league,” she asserted, “if it is serious about talent and innovation.”
The Future of Work: Replacement or Augmentation?
In response to the perennial fear of mass job displacement, the experts were unified and blunt: AI is a tool for augmentation, not replacement. They argued that the unique value provided by human judgment, creativity, and emotional intelligence will always be essential, especially since AI can “hallucinate” or produce errors in reasoning.
“We have been hearing for half a century that machines will replace humans, and it hasn’t happened,” González-Blanco recalled, citing a 1970s prediction from AI pioneer Marvin Minsky that was similarly premature. “Technology changes the way we work, but it does not eliminate human value.”
San Juan defended the irreplaceable nature of human “knowledge and experience,” while Mallo outlined a vision of synergistic collaboration. “The companies that combine artificial and emotional intelligence will be the ones that lead,” he predicted.
A Level Playing Field for SMEs
Despite the dominance of tech giants in developing foundational models, the panel rejected the idea that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are locked out of the game. “Applied AI allows us to compete on the basis of specialisation,” explained González-Blanco. “It is not about manufacturing technology, but about using it well. Local and sectoral knowledge can be a decisive advantage.”
Mallo reinforced this optimism, stating, “Today, anyone with a good idea and the ability to execute it can break through. Market access has never been so open.”
The Final Frontier: What AI Will Never Do
The panel concluded with a profound and symbolic question: What will artificial intelligence never be able to do?
The answers were unanimous: emote, feel, and lead with genuine empathy. Rafael San Juan offered a poetic summary that resonated with the entire audience: “AI will be able to build the Taj Mahal, but it will never know what it means to love the person for whom it is built.”
Because, as the three experts agreed, the essence of true intelligence—the force that fundamentally distinguishes humanity—remains rooted in our capacity for emotion, our spark of creativity, and our unquantifiable intuition. The future, therefore, lies not in competing with AI, but in collaborating with it, leveraging its power to amplify the very things that make us human.
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