On December 11, the Autonoma University of Madrid (UAM) hosted the presentation of the new monographic issue of the Journal of Privacy and Digital Law (RPDD), held as part of the Specialization Diploma in Data Protection, Digital Society, and Artificial Intelligence.
This issue is particularly significant as it coincides with the journal’s tenth anniversary and is dedicated to innovation, with close academic and institutional links to the UAM.
During the event, Pablo García Mexía moderated a dialogue with Jordi Sevilla Segura, former minister and economist, entitled “Innovation and its barriers,” which addressed the main economic, social, and regulatory challenges associated with innovation processes. The meeting also featured a presentation by Paloma Sánchez, professor of Applied Economics at the UAM and co-author of the monographic issue, who provided an academic perspective on the impact of innovation on the productive and social fabric.
Among the main ideas highlighted during the round table, it was emphasized that innovation is not only technological in nature, but also takes social and organizational forms and is linked to business models. It was highlighted that the distinguishing feature of innovation lies not so much in what is innovated, but in how innovative processes are developed.
The role of the State and the European Union was also addressed, highlighting the need to promote innovation based on technical and strategic criteria, avoiding regulatory frameworks that could hinder its development. The conversation also focused on the real impact of artificial intelligence on employment, especially youth employment, as well as the consolidation of digital rights and neurodiverse rights as one of the major legal and ethical challenges of the present.
As highlighted during the meeting, innovation can become both a factor of equality and inequality, depending on the institutions and regulatory frameworks that accompany it.
The organization would like to thank the UAM dean’s office for its constant support for high-level academic reflection initiatives, the postgraduate program for establishing itself as a leading forum for critical analysis of digital transformation, and all those who attended and participated in this meeting.