Antonio Budia, Microsoft in Spain: 'AI is here to stay and must be used responsibly.'

The latest edition of TEDxEAEBusinessSchool took place in Madrid on December 15, 2023, bringing together 8 renowned professionals to share insights on how organizations can drive and develop their positive impact on the community and environment. Held at EAE Business School's Joaquin Costa campus in Madrid (C/Joaquín Costa, 41) from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, the event was hosted by Antonio Rodriguez Ruibal, Dean of EAE Business School Madrid, who emphasized the importance of corporate social responsibility strategy and companies' commitment to fostering constructive change. The focus was on inspiring, educating, and motivating toward sustainable societal development, aiming to generate a positive impact on the community.

Antonio Budia, Director of Microsoft's Partners Division in Spain, took the floor next with his talk 'Building a more sustainable future: Responsible AI.' He emphasized the relevance of this technology in the future and its impact on individuals and the environment: 'AI is one of the tools that will shape the future, and how we use it will mean a better country, economy, and socio-cultural context in which we live.' Reflecting on this is crucial since, akin to previous industrial revolutions, 'how you leverage technology will have a significant impact not only on society but also economically.'

Budia further stated that 'sustainability accelerates transformation, requiring tools and innovation to keep up with society's demands. Artificial intelligence is an unprecedented wave of innovation, and we must understand how to leverage it. It is here to stay and must be used responsibly,' he added.

In addition to AI, this TEDxEAEBusinessSchool edition also tackled people management, crucial and strategic for organizations. Neil West, former Head of Music at Apple Europe, delved into the importance of synergy between the team and the common objective in his presentation 'The Beatles, Steve Jobs, and Team Management.' He emphasized creating an environment conducive to business growth and effective management aimed at achieving the ultimate goal. For West, 'openness to change, differences, and innovation are fundamental for personal and professional success.'

During his speech, the Apple executive presented an effective and successful team management example using The Beatles, 'a model that inspired Steve Jobs,' which Apple decided to adapt to make the team 'turn ideas into reality,' creating a complementary dynamic akin to the iconic music group. Thus, Apple aimed to be 'bigger than Elvis' by surrounding themselves with talented individuals contributing to achieving that goal and impacting society.

On the other hand, Irini Sfirakis, an EAE Business School alumni and Process Master at Cheil Spain, addressed the role of resilience and business planning in her talk titled 'Certainty, the enemy of growth.' Sfirakis urged the audience to embrace trial and error as a fundamental part of learning, highlighting 'the need to make mistakes to make better decisions.' Additionally, she encouraged the audience to 'take the step, disconnect the autopilot, and visualize the concept of success, shifting the focus from trial and error to trial and learning.'

Discussing the ESG purpose of entrepreneurs and startups, Mariano Galán, CEO of PandaGo, in his talk 'Entrepreneurship with an ESG impact purpose... steroids for your Startup,' focused on the opportunity that lies in starting a venture with the significant goal of benefiting society, 'choosing a mission with a positive impact doubles the experience and professional development.' Galán shared key success factors for business and positive impact, emphasizing the importance of clarity regarding the mission, identity, and purpose.

The central theme of Andrea Castillo's speech, an EAE Business School alumni and CEO at Recoambiente, was capacity and necessity. After sharing her personal and professional growth story, she stressed that 'we must become obsessed with our goal, with learning.'

Lastly, Teresa Perales, a Paralympic athlete and Princess of Asturias Award for Sports recipient, left the audience amazed with her inspiring words, focusing on capacity, dedication, and effort in achieving goals. The athlete humorously recalled her first experience in a swimming pool and being rejected by her teacher: 'I was dismissed from swimming and started doing karate. I didn't know how to coordinate arms, legs, breathing...' However, years later, her first coach's figure was crucial, unknowingly fostering her self-esteem and potential with a phrase she still remembers: 'You're a diamond in the rough that needs polishing.'

These words provided the necessary boost to achieve her goal of becoming a professional athlete and winning 27 Paralympic medals. Perales ended her speech with advice for attendees: 'surround yourself with exceptional people who support you personally and professionally.'

The event, held at EAE Business School Madrid, concluded with an invitation to attendees to engage in charitable actions with positive effects on society and the environment.