Victoria Fox's Blog, page 158

Telefónica: a last minute change?

The announcement that Sepi has the Government’s authorization to acquire up to 10% of Telefónica’s capital represents a certain change with respect to the conversations that had been held until now between the Government and the two main national shareholders (the Sepi group). La Caixa Foundation and BBVA), whose original idea was to form a national ‘nucleus’ that would control around 15%, distributed equally between the three, so as to compensate for the fact that the Saudi group STC also agreed to keep another 5 %.

Since the Saudi Arabian fund announced its intention to acquire 9.9% of Telefónica’s capital in an operation implemented through Morgan Stanley and of which no one had prior knowledge until the moment it was communicated to the

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Telefónica reduces the impact of the ERE to 3,559 employees, 400 less

The company improves compensation to 65% (from the 60% previously proposed) of the regulatory salary for workers born in 1968 and until they turn 63.

Telefónica has once again reduced the impact of the employment regulation files (ERE) that it will execute in its three main subsidiaries in Spain ( Telefónica de España, Móviles and Soluciones ) and has reduced it to 3,559 employees, 1,565 less than the 5,124 of its first proposal and 400 fewer workers than the 3,959 that it transferred to the unions just a week ago.

Specifically, for Telefónica de España the company has proposed 3,016 exits (compared to the initial 4,085), for Telefónica Móviles a total of 485 (958 at the beginning) and 58 at Telefónica Soluciones (81 at the beginning of the negotiations), as reported to Europa Press union sources.

In addition to reducing the impact of collective dismissal, the company has also conveyed to the unions an improvement in the economic conditions for workers who leave the company.

In the proposal conveyed to the unions this Wednesday, Telefónica has offered employees born in 1968 an income of 65% of the regulatory salary until the age of 63 (compared to 63% in the previous proposal) and 34% until the age of 65 (32 % in the previous offer).

For those born in 1967, 1966 or 1965, 60% of the regulatory salary until age 63 (58% in the previous proposal) and 32% until age 65 (same percentage as in the previous offer), to which is added a voluntary bonus of 3,000 euros.

Meanwhile, for workers born in 1964 or previous years it offers an income of 50% of the regulatory salary until age 63 and 32% until age 65 (without changes in both cases), to which it has also added a bonus of voluntary contribution of 3,000 euros.

It should be remembered that in the previous exit plan – negotiated in 2021 – the economic proposal agreed between the company and the unions stipulated an income of between 65% and 68% of the regulatory salary (depending on age) during the period between the date of discharge and the worker’s retirement.

Union requests

For its part, UGT has evaluated “positively the work carried out by the company”, although it has asked for “one last effort” to reduce the impact and improve the conditions offered in “in order to achieve maximum voluntariness” of the departures.

In his opinion, if the changes requested are made, the best exit agreement in the history of the company could be signed.

“However, we point out that the positions in the negotiations for the collective agreement of related companies remain distant and that only an agreement that guarantees the working and social conditions of the workforce for a minimum of 3 years will make it possible to agree on this ERE,” he indicated. UGT in a statement.

“We demand from the company a firm commitment to provide stability to the workforce by accepting the UGT postulates in order to agree on the agreement,” he added.

However, Sumados-Fetico continues to see the conditions offered by the company as “insufficient” to be able to reach an agreement on the collective dismissal.

In this context, the union has conveyed to the company the need for a “significant” reduction in the impact of the ERE because the economic conditions are not similar to those of the previous exit plans.

It has also reiterated its request that the collective dismissal be voluntary and universal and that the percentage of the regulatory salary offered be increased, as well as that it be extended until the ordinary retirement age.

Other issues that Sumados-Fetico puts on the table are the payment of 100% of the special Social Security agreement until retirement age; the inclusion in the regulatory salary of the biennia, level jumps and inflation (CPI) of the year in which the departure occurs and the inclusion in the regulatory salary of the amount that the company currently contributes to the pension plan.

“Eliminate from the target audience of the collective dismissal those workers who, due to their personal circumstances, do not meet the requirements to access early retirement. We detect, according to the data offered by the company, that this group can reach 300 people,” the union added.

The next meeting to negotiate the collective dismissal will take place this Thursday, December 21, in the morning, the unions have reported.

Sepi entrance

This Tuesday the Government announced that it will buy up to 10% of Telefónica’s shares through the State Industrial Participation Company (SEPI), a movement that responds to the emergence of the Saudi ‘teleco’ STC last September with a 9.9 % of the share capital of the operator chaired by José María Álvarez-Pallete.

Regarding the impact of the Executive’s decision on the ongoing negotiations, that is, the collective dismissal and the collective agreement – the current one is an extension of the previous one and expires on December 31 -, the unions (UGT, CCOO and Sumados-Feticos) consider that it will not affect the ongoing conversations in any way.

“I am glad that the State is becoming part of Telefónica’s shareholders. Regarding the negotiation we are currently having, I do not think it will have any consequences,” however, the Sumados-Fetico spokesperson clarified in statements to Europa Press.

However, UGT has requested the Government that this investment be accompanied by a “regulatory change that promotes competition in infrastructure and employment.”

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Cybersecurity, an essential condition in the current environment

Technologies such as ‘blockchain’, linked to crypto assets, open great business opportunities but also multiply cyber risks. Criminals take advantage of regulation.

Although the large-scale adoption of technology has generated numerous benefits and business opportunities, it has also multiplied the exposure to cyber risks for individuals, companies and governments alike . Earlier this year, the World Economic Forum identified cybersecurity as one of the top ten international concerns, the only one of a technological nature. The relationship between these risks and technologies such as blockchain and cryptoassets was addressed yesterday at the Expansión AI and new technologies meeting.

Blockchain technology has already established itself in various sectors, contributing to a profound transformation of business models. During their initial stages, some cryptoassets were associated with use for illicit purposes due to difficulties in traceability. “Everyone understands what blockchain is, but there can be different types depending on the underlying technologies,” said José Javier Martínez Herráiz, delegate of the Rector of Information Security at the University of Alcalá .

For example, he explained that bitcoin uses known algorithms, but other cryptocurrencies are more complicated to track. “There are numerous different technologies that evolve very quickly: the world of crime is ahead because it has many means,” warned Martínez Herráiz. In this sense, he added that universities are contributing to the research of these technologies in the field of cryptocurrencies.

Alberto Redondo, commander of the Civil Guard and head of the Criminal Cyberintelligence Group of the Judicial Police Technical Unit (UTPJ) , wanted to break the myth around the deep web or ‘dark zone’ of the Internet: “There is cybercrime, but not as much as you think.” On the other hand, he did warn about the new Crime as a Service model, which “is changing the paradigm of cybercrime and generates many problems in the field of deep cybercrime.” This concept includes ransomware attacks that seek affiliates through deep web forums, companies that offer the service of hindering the traceability of crypto assets and, above all, child sexual content.

To face these threats, Redondo explained that the Security Forces and Corps adapt their response structures. Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of international cooperation: “The fight against cybercrime cannot be understood without international judicial and police collaboration.” The sharing of good practices between companies and the Administration is also key, given that they are usually the victims of these attacks.

In the case of Europe, the MiCA ( Market in Crypto-Assets ) regulation opens a new panorama for financial institutions. “The cryptoasset market is going to change radically: the regulations specify the roles of each of the actors in the value chain,” said José Ángel Fernández Freire, executive president of Prosegur Crypto and director of innovation at Prosegur Cash . In this way, financial entities will emerge as product distributors, while companies like Prosegur assume the role of custodians.

Fernández Freire compared this situation to what happened in the 1970s, when financial institutions decided that they were going to stop storing banknotes in their own safes. Thus, “we offer a system that is unmatched in the world because it combines all the logical security measures with all the perimeter physical security measures that Prosegur has,” he stated.

From the perspective of a company specialized in certification, “Europe leads standardization and legislation in cybersecurity,” commented José Ruiz Gualda, co-director of jtsec (Applus+) . The push for regulations has made cybersecurity certification integrated as part of the business. “Maintaining cybersecurity in the supply chain (SBOM) is crucial, especially given the new regulations in both Europe (CRA) and the United States,” said Ruiz Gualda.

Requirement

However, regulation also has a harmful side for entrepreneurs, to the extent that it can make it difficult to launch new products or services. “I agree that there has to be regulation, but I would like it to be more flexible so that it does not kill innovation: MicA falls very short of the projects we are already working on,” lamented Alex Puig, CTO and founder of Caelum Labs. . In particular, Puig added that he arrives “late and bad.”

Due to this trend towards overregulation, the founder of Caelum Labs commented that “there are many companies that are born in Europe and then end up leaving.” For Puig, the reason is not the search for more favorable taxation, but the fact that “at a technological level there are many countries that give you more opportunities by having more open regulation.”

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Companies explore AI without losing sight of responsibility

Companies are cautious in adopting artificial intelligence, although they agree that these tools will have a transformative impact on the world.

80% of the value obtained today from generative AI projects is provided by 5% of use cases, according to a report published by PwC . “We must carry out a complete analysis of each business case to ensure that it adds value to the company,” warned Armando Martínez Polo, partner responsible for the company’s Technology Consulting and AI , in the Expansión AI and new technologies . In this way, the PwC partner stressed that “it is necessary to raise the discourse and reflection on the impact of these projects on the organization.”

At a time of maximum expectation around this technology, “the main challenge right now is to identify priorities and start implementing projects so as not to lose the competitive advantages they can generate,” said Manuel Matos, CEO of Tokiota . In addition to pointing out that change management is a key aspect for these initiatives to be successful in organizations, Matos explained that “we see two specific areas in which the projects are focusing: the relationship with the client and the development and launch of new products”.

Priorities

“Artificial intelligence must focus on the company’s major priorities, on the strategic axes,” agreed Gonzalo Durbán, head of Data and Analytics at Almirall . In the case of the pharmaceutical company, he pointed out that there are three main pillars: its biological products for atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, innovation in R&D and cultural transformation. “We still don’t know how far this transformation will go, but not everything goes; there must be values and ethics,” he asserted.

A company that was born with this technology in its DNA is LuzIA , whose virtual assistant for WhatsApp is a pioneer in the use of artificial intelligence. “We believe that generative AI is still in its infancy and has a long way to go. We wanted it to be accessible to everyone and, precisely, this technology facilitates access to all the information in the world in a conversational way,” commented Álvaro Higes, CEO of the start up p. The company, which has succeeded big time in Latin America , believes that assistants like yours will transform the relationship between companies and their clients.

Along the same lines, Natalia Clavero, head of Data and Artificial Intelligence strategy at Minsait , separated the potential of this technology into three blocks: “First there is the assistant facet that helps you in your daily life as a citizen, employee or client; then its capacity for technological acceleration and, finally, its ability to increase efficiency and streamline repetitive tasks.” Among the challenges for organizations, Clavero stressed that “regulation does not affect all algorithms in the same way, so it is important to categorize the level of risk.”

In this sense, Álvaro de Nicolás, CEO of Zurich Digital Hubs , clarified that “we have focused on ensuring that we comply with current data legislation, while modifying our data governance to address challenges that will come in the future. “, such as the explainability of the algorithms. Although he acknowledged that “we are still learning to work with it,” De Nicolás concluded that “AI is an issue of people and change management.”

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Digitalization: Bavaria's digital minister plans to ban faxes in authorities

Bavaria’s new digital minister Fabian Mehring (Free Voters) is planning a fax ban for the Free State authorities. “Fax machines are no longer up to date and are a relic from another time,” Mehring told the Augsburger Allgemeine . For many people, fax machines have long been a symbol of backwardness in digital transformation. “Our Bavaria is a high-tech country. We should therefore lead the way nationwide and be the first federal state to pull the plug on faxes in public administration,” said Mehring.

The minister wants to present measures to the Bavarian cabinet next year according to which, after a certain transition period, documents in Bavarian authorities should only be transmitted in digital form instead of by fax machine, the newspaper continues.

According to the Free Voters politician, Bavaria is the first federal state that wants to ban fax machines from its authorities and administrations across the board. In the summer, the state government stated the number of fax machines in its administrations at just under 4,000.

Fax machines are also still in use in the private sector. 82 percent of companies in Germany still use the devices to transfer documents at least occasionally, according to a representative survey published in May by the digital association Bitkom. However, a comparison with the survey values from previous years shows that communication in companies takes place via fax less and less.

Bavaria’s new digital minister Fabian Mehring (Free Voters) is planning a fax ban for the Free State authorities. “Fax machines are no longer up to date and are a relic from another time,” Mehring told the Augsburger Allgemeine . For many people, fax machines have long been a symbol of backwardness in digital transformation. “Our Bavaria is a high-tech country. We should therefore lead the way nationwide and be the first federal state to pull the plug on faxes in public administration,” said Mehring.

The minister wants to present measures to the Bavarian cabinet next year according to which, after a certain transition period, documents in Bavarian authorities should only be transmitted in digital form instead of by fax machine, the newspaper continues.

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Artigas: "Europe has created a moral standard for AI"

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Carme Artigas: "Spain has 8 billion available for technological start-ups"

The Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, Carme Artigas, has indicated that Spain has up to 8,000 million euros for the creation of technological start-ups that can be used for the creation of Artificial Intelligence companies.

Artigas, who has announced that he will leave his position this Friday in the Ministry of Digital Transformation directed by José Luis Escrivá , explained during the Expansión IA event, on Artificial Intelligence that EXPANSIÓN is developing, that Spain has the Next Tech fund “endowed with 4,000 million public euros that are expanded with another 4,000 million of private money, which means a total of 8,000 million in Spain available to invest in deep tech companies.

Artigas has urged technology-based companies to contact the ICO to request these funds, because, in addition, Spain has the opportunity to develop these technologies in the Spanish language, with 600 million speakers, which “is a unique potential market.”

Experts from all sectors have debated Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain and New Professions at the AI Expansion event on artificial intelligence and new technologies. JMCadenas EXPANSION Computer Access

For Artigas , the availability of public money is not the main bottleneck, but it is also necessary that “there are people, initiatives and talent and that companies mobilize”, since the companies that are emerging in other countries such as France or Germany “isn’t even five months old, so the opportunity hasn’t been lost yet.”

VIDEO | Carme Artigas: “Spain has 8 billion available for technological start-ups.”

Furthermore, Artigas has pointed out that another problem for the development of artificial intelligence companies is access to computing, technical resources and chips, of which there is a shortage. Therefore, to help European companies, “the EU is going to release all of Europe’s high performance computing capacity, such as the equipment we have in the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, which will be available for the Academy and for start-ups. “.

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Carme Artigas leaves the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence to return to the private company

Carme Artigas, the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, announced this morning, at the Expansion IA event on artificial intelligence and new technologies, that this Friday she will leave her position in the Government.

Carme Artigas, the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence of the Ministry of Digital Transformation , announced today, during her speech at the AI Expansion of Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies event, that next Friday she will leave her position in the Ministry that she now leads. José Luis Escrivá .

Artigas has remained in the Ministry until the negotiation to approve the European regulation on AI has been concluded.

Carme Artigas, Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence (left) during the interview conducted by Amparo Polo, head of Digital Development at EXPANSIÓN (right). JMCadenas EXPANSION

Artigas has indicated that she will now focus on her task as co-president of the UN advisory body for AI , which seeks to achieve global regulation of artificial intelligence and that this activity will focus on her agenda until next September.

He has subsequently indicated that he will plan his return to the private sector .

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Chema Alonso (Telefónica): "In Europe we are here to regulate AI, just as we did with data"

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AI Expansion. Artificial intelligence and new technologies

By:JMCadenas Photos / Luis Camacho / Mauricio Skrycky

Updated: 12-19-2023 3:39 p.m.

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The business leaders and experts who met today at the great Expansión Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies event have analyzed the challenge posed by the use of AI in companies, its practical applications and how it should be regulated so that it meets ethical standards. Carme Artigas, Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, has been in charge of the honorary intervention at an event that has been closed by the CDO of Telefónica, Chema Alonso.

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