Capacity for digitalization and robotisation of the Spanish productive structure and the role of public administrations.

For years now, the need to increase the degree of digitalization and the incorporation of robotics and artificial intelligence into economic activity, particularly in developed economies, has been assumed, not without some trepidation. Undoubtedly, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the media attention being paid to the impact of AI (e.g. ChatGPT), these processes have been prioritised and accelerated.

Therefore, this transformation of the Spanish productive fabric is not only an opportunity, but also an unavoidable necessity, in an increasingly integrated world economy, to guarantee the competitiveness of our companies and our economic structure and, in this way, our economic and social well-being in the coming decades.

For this reason, it is necessary to study the potential degree of digitalization, the use of robotics and artificial intelligence in companies and in the Spanish economic structure, as well as to analyse the factors that can accelerate this transformation. At the same time, it is essential to analyse the social impact that this transformation may generate.

The public sector has an important role to play in this process. On the one hand, through the design of actions and policies of various kinds that stimulate companies to work on their digitalization and automation. On the other hand, the Public Sector itself must make an effort to increase its degree of digitisation and automation. While progress has been made in this area, much remains to be done. Attention should be paid to the experience of other countries in this area.

This symposium will include, among others, studies that analyse:

• The potential capacity for digitalization, automation or robotisation of the Spanish economic structure, which sectors of economic activity are most prone to these changes, as well as their comparison with EU and OECD countries.
• The opportunities that these processes can provide for Spanish and European companies.
• The impact on the labour market of such digitalization and automation processes.
• How these processes can affect levels of social welfare, inequality and efficiency.
• What can be the most effective and efficient public policies to favour this new paradigm?
• The level of digitalization and automation of the Spanish Public Sector and its comparison with EU and OECD countries.