València calls for Artificial Intelligence to promote more inclusive societies with the complicity of companies and administrations

Jovesólides brings together more than 300 people at the 5th Social Innovation Forum, which was inaugurated this morning by the Government Delegate, Pilar Bernabé, and the Rector of the UPV, José E. Capilla.

A dozen expert voices in Artificial Intelligence propose creative solutions to social challenges such as access to housing, the climate crisis, political polarisation and active ageing.

Only 30% of Valencian companies have already implemented AI tools in their processes, most of them with weak and poorly structured planning.

Participants of the #Foro5IS during the Collective Action

23/09/2024 – València. More than 300 people attended today the fifth edition of the International Forum on Social Innovation, organised in Valencia by Jovesólides and Escuela Creactiva. The event, held under the slogan ‘Social innovation, entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence for a more inclusive society’, has brought together a dozen expert voices of world reference in the Polytechnic City of Innovation to seek creative solutions to major social challenges such as access to housing, the climate crisis, polarisation and active ageing.

During the inauguration, the Government Delegate in the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé, congratulated Jovesólides for its 25 years of trajectory and highlighted ‘the responsibility and moral obligation of public administrations to support entities that promote the positive transformation of society’ guaranteeing a more inclusive future.

The Rector of the Universitat Politènica, José Esteban Capilla, highlighted the ‘brilliant and motivating programme’ of this Forum, which ‘is a source of collective and transformative inspiration to generate a positive impact on the community’.

For her part, the Director General of Entrepreneurship and Internationalisation, Ester Olivas, defended that the alliance between AI and social innovation ‘can be the pillars that are transforming our society to make it more inclusive, equitable and sustainable at the service of people and communities’.

For his part, the Regional Secretary for Family and Social Services, Ignacio Mas, recognised the work carried out by Jovesólides during its 25 years of history. In a divided world’, he said, “the important thing is to do things together and to see diversity as a wealth that unites us”.

The President of Jovesólides, Lourdes Mirón, called for ‘Artificial Intelligence that promotes more inclusive societies, with the necessary complicity of public administrations and companies’. Currently, she explained, only 30% of Valencian companies have taken steps towards the implementation of Artificial Intelligence in their processes, ‘we are in time to lay an inclusive, supportive and fair basis for a technological revolution that is already transforming our production systems, our public services and our societies; it is key for the progress of humanity that no one is left behind in this unstoppable process’.

Authorities at the #Foro5IS

AI at the service of social innovation in Valencia

The International Forum for Social Innovation has become a benchmark event in Spain, backed by the success of the four previous editions that since 2013 have brought together more than 1,100 experts, professionals and individuals to discover ideas for change, share them and reinvent the social reality that surrounds us.

This edition explores how technology can revolutionise the public, private and business sectors. The day’s programme includes six international keynotes, four panels, a colloquium, networking spaces and two hands-on workshops.

This morning, futurist David Alayón delivered the opening keynote address with a look at how AI and emerging technologies can foster inclusion of marginalised groups and equity in digital societies, bridging social and economic divides.

David Alayón during his Inaugural Speech at #Foro5IS

Afterwards, the head of AI at Prodigioso Volcán, Carmen Torrijos, explored how to curb political polarisation and fake news through technological tools applied to communication and business culture. The expert in renewable energy and energy efficiency, Jauad El Kharraz, Executive Director of the Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, addressed the role of Artificial Intelligence in environmental justice and eco-rights.

In addition, the Director of the UPV Housing Observatory Chair, Fernando Cos-Gayón López, explained how advanced technologies and data can help to design more effective public policies on housing in order to build fairer and more liveable cities for citizens. And the President of the Valencian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Sacramento Pinazo, presented pioneering projects that integrate AI and community to improve the quality of life of the elderly.

On the other hand, the General Director of ICT of the Generalitat, José Manuel Garcia Duarte; the Councillor for Tourism, Innovation and Investment Attraction of the City of Valencia, Paula Llobet; and the Director of the ValgrAI Foundation, Ana Cidad, have starred in a debate-colloquium on the role of the Administration to promote alliances between AI and social innovation in public services with the aim of solving problems of the environment.

COLLOQUIUM on the role of Public Administration at the #Foro5IS

This afternoon’s session will feature some of the most eagerly awaited moments of the day. Gemma Galdon-Clavell, a world leader in technological ethics and algorithmic responsibility, will address the dilemmas posed by AI and the challenges of social innovation to promote more inclusive societies, with a novel vision that seeks to protect people in technological processes.

Prior to this, two practical workshops on AI applied to the social sphere and to the resolution of complex business problems will be given by the disseminators Jon Hernández and Javier Recuenco. In addition, the results of the first study that investigates the state of social innovation in the Valencian Community and offers a detailed diagnosis will be presented.

Incipient implementation of AI in the business world

Only 30% of Valencian companies have implemented Artificial Intelligence tools in their processes to date, most of them with a weak and poorly structured planning. This is one of the main conclusions drawn from the first study that investigates the state of social innovation in the Valencian Community and offers a detailed diagnosis, which was presented to coincide with the 5th Social Innovation Forum.

The report calls for greater courage on the part of public administrations to commit to social innovation. On the one hand, by opening up specific lines of funding, collaboration or subsidies to boost the sector. On the other hand, by creating more flexible legal texts and administrative procedures that allow institutions to open up and work on the development and application of innovative processes with a social impact. Currently, public and private innovation is almost exclusively linked to the technological sphere.

The research also detects the need to articulate mechanisms to expand, create or reinforce collaboration networks between social innovation entities. Projects are stronger when they are networked and collaborative, as they are more economically viable and their social impact is much greater.

Despite its potential positive and transformative impact, there is a general lack of knowledge about what social innovation is among the population, public administrations and the private sector, even among agents that are practising it. For this reason, the study draws attention to the need to promote a lobby that fosters education and awareness of social innovation, promotes collaboration between different sectors and facilitates the exchange of good practices, in order to create an environment more conducive to the development of initiatives that address today’s social challenges.

The Forum has the collaboration of the Polytechnic University of Valencia, through its Chair of the Valencian Public System of Social Services and Ideas-UPV. It is funded by the Valencian Institute for Business Competitiveness and Innovation (IVACE+I); the Vice-presidency for Social Services, Equality and Housing through the allocation from the ‘social purposes’ box on the income tax return; the Regional Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism; and Valencia Innovation Capital of the Valencia City Council.