Last Friday, September 19, the headquarters of ACETEX (the Regional Association of Textile Entrepreneurs of Alcoià and El Comtat) hosted the conference "How to Improve Your Company's Productivity with Artificial Intelligence," given by Dr. Julián Cárdenas, a professor from the Department of Sociology at the University of Valencia.
The event is part of a series of conferences organized jointly by Caixa Popular and the Cátedra de Empresa y Humanismo of the University of Valencia.
AI as an opportunity for SMEs
During the conference, Dr. Cárdenas explained how AI is transforming all functional areas of the company, especially those related to highly skilled jobs. Tasks that until recently required the expert knowledge of professionals can now be performed with AI tools and low-cost digital agents, also accessible to SMEs.
This makes AI a strategic lever to overcome the lack of resources of many small and medium-sized businesses, allowing them to increase their productivity and competitiveness.
The importance of the human factor
Professor Cárdenas emphasized, however, that AI cannot replace the idiosyncratic knowledge and social relationships that are key to value creation.
Therefore, he recommended putting AI in the hands of more experienced personnel, so that this technology complements and enhances human work, freeing up time for tasks where people are irreplaceable:
- Context recognition.
- Development of relationships of trust.
- Close and personalized customer service.
- Pending challenges: data and confidentiality
During question time, a debate arose about data security and confidentiality, a key aspect for companies whose competitive advantage lies in knowledge of specific markets and innovation in products and services.
The day concluded with a clear message: AI must be understood as a tool at the service of human talent, capable of improving per capita productivity and opening up new opportunities for SMEs, provided it is used strategically and responsibly.
