The Catalan industry seeks to move from the promise of AI to real-world use

Barcelona hosted the ConnectAI Industry Congress this week, on Wednesday the 28th and Thursday the 29th, at CosmoCaixa, with a clear ambition: to transform artificial intelligence into a truly useful tool for Catalan industry, or, as the organizer put it, "a lever for competitiveness." Far from futuristic speeches or pyrotechnic demonstrations, the congress, sponsored by Ayesa, LC Pack, Orange Empresas, and Amphos21, was conceived as a forum to discuss practical applications, efficiency, and impact, with the explicit aim of moving "from fascination to action." ConnectAI, held in the Catalan capital—which the organizers champion as the country's industrial and technological epicenter—brought together companies, research centers, government agencies, and technology providers under three major cross-cutting themes: industry, technology, and knowledge. It also brought together more than 700 companies from the Catalan technology industry, represented by clusters such as water, the packaging, energy and the digital industry. The common thread throughout all the sessions has been the idea that AI is not an end in itself, but a lever for transformation to address very specific challenges in day-to-day business.

"It's not a question of the future, but a question of criteria," summarized Joana Barbany, president of the Digital Cluster of Catalonia, one of the most repeated phrases of the congress. Her intervention set the general tone of an event in which it was emphasized, time and again, that the key is no longer talking about AI, but deciding how, for what purpose, and with what meaning it is used.

This idea—the need for a critical perspective—reappeared in many of the subsequent presentations, often associated with concepts such as sustainability, optimization, and efficiency. Far from presenting AI as a universal solution, the speakers insisted that its value depends on each organization's ability to identify where it truly makes an impact and how it integrates within existing processes.

From promise to actual use

One of the most shared ideas during the two days was that artificial intelligence is already present in many organizations, but it is not yet widespread or sufficiently integrated to generate a structural impact. "Many people use it, but it's still too little," several speakers admitted. The challenge, they agreed, is to stop seeing AI as a decorative or experimental element and start incorporating it intentionally, seeking measurable value and return. In this sense, it was reiterated that technology, by itself, does not transform anything. AI should be conceived as a tool at the service of human decisions, not as a substitute. "People are the ones who make the decisions," was another recurring message at a congress that emphasized responsibility, calm, and sound judgment in the face of technological acceleration. This vision was accompanied by a discourse clearly geared toward small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), considered the true engine of industrial transformation. The organizers argued that the transition to a more efficient model will not come solely from large corporations or flagship projects, but from the sum of many well-focused and interconnected individual initiatives. In the case of SMEs, this leap often encounters limitations of time, resources, and internal capacity to define a clear strategy. However, several speakers emphasized that these are precisely the companies that can benefit most quickly from well-focused solutions, provided they are approached with a pragmatic vision aligned with business objectives.

An opportunity—and an urgent need—for SMEs

Several voices have emphasized that AI offers SMEs an unprecedented opportunity to compete on a more level playing field with large corporations. Far from simply "digesting data," artificial intelligence can help optimize processes, anticipate problems, reduce costs, and gain operational agility. "Those who aren't using it are losing efficiency," warned Esther Vilanova, director of digital solutions at Amphos21, in a presentation that highlighted the almost inevitable nature of the technology. Along the same lines, other speakers insisted that those who implement AI will set the pace of the market, while those who don't risk falling behind. This sense of facing a structural shift has even been compared to major technological revolutions of the past, such as electricity or the internet. With one important distinction: AI is not the destination, but the fuel. The value lies not in the algorithm itself, but in how it's integrated into processes and the accompanying strategy, highlighting that it would be a mistake to use it simply "for the sake of having it," or to reduce it to a mere assistant.

Responsibility, ethics, and sustainability

Despite the congress's decidedly practical tone, ethical debate also played a significant role. Reflections on the risks, responsibilities, and limits of artificial intelligence served as a reminder that its implementation cannot be uncritical or detached from social and environmental values. This debate also included warnings about the risks of adoption without human judgment or personal oversight: from excessive reliance on opaque solutions to potential biases in systems or a lack of data governance. The need to establish clear frameworks of responsibility was shared as an essential condition for preventing the erosion of trust in technology. In this regard, the need to deploy AI ethically and sustainably was emphasized, always considering its impact on people, work, and the environment. It was stressed that technology must reinforce human capabilities and contribute to a more resilient industrial model, not generate new inequalities or opaque dependencies. Sustainability has, in fact, been an omnipresent concept throughout the congress, both in relation to energy efficiency and to resource management, water, and the circularity of materials. AI thus appears as a potential ally in moving towards a more responsible production model, provided it is used judiciously and with a long-term vision. Catalonia, prepared but with pending challenges

From an institutional perspective, the Secretary of Digital Policies of the Generalitat, Maria Galindo, has asserted that Catalonia is well-prepared to address the implementation of AI in industry. In her address, she argued that the region boasts a robust technological and research ecosystem, as well as an industrial, social, and democratic strategy focused on connecting business and technology. According to Galindo, artificial intelligence is a necessary driver of productivity and competitiveness, but its deployment must be accompanied by policies that facilitate its adoption, training, and collaboration among stakeholders. In this regard, the role of clusters has been emphasized as a key tool for democratizing access to technology and sharing knowledge among companies. Collaborating to scale

The ConnectAI Industry Congress also aimed to be an informal meeting place. Between presentations and roundtables, the breaks of networking These sessions were designed so that attendees could share experiences, questions, and lessons learned. During these spaces, the debate continued far from the podium: questions about costs, integration difficulties, and internal resistance circulated over coffee and business cards. This constant exchange reinforced one of the congress's central ideas: that transformation with AI is not a solitary path, but a process built by sharing experiences and mistakes.

"The debate is no longer whether or not to implement it," Vilanova summarized, "but when and how." This statement aptly encapsulates the spirit of the congress: artificial intelligence is not a passing fad, but neither is it a magic wand. It is a powerful tool that demands strategy, sound judgment, and responsibility.

In this sense, ConnectAI leaves a clear conclusion: the future of Catalan industry will depend not only on having access to the best technology, but on knowing how to use it meaningfully, putting people and impact at the center.