ASLAN 2024: Artificial Intelligence at the Heart of Digital Innovation

On 17 and 18 April, the Palacio de Congresos de Madrid became the epicentre of technological innovation with the 31st edition of the ASLAN2024 Congress & EXPO, organised by the National Association of the Technology Industry (@aslan).

The emergence of artificial intelligence is marking an unprecedented transformation in the digital innovation industry, and the ASLAN2024 Congress offers a unique platform to explore how this technology is impacting key areas such as cybersecurity, the digital workplace and data management, as well as to address the new challenges it poses for networks, multi-cloud environments, data centres and other digital infrastructures.

This annual event, which brings together 190 manufacturers and suppliers specialising in digital innovation and cybersecurity, is presented under the title “AI: A Breakthrough in Digitisation. Everything Changes”. During the event, six key themes will be addressed that reflect the challenges and opportunities offered by artificial intelligence in the field of digitisation. From the application of AI in digital infrastructures and cybersecurity to boosting business competitiveness through digital innovation, the crucial role of the ICT distribution channel in the digitisation of SMEs and the modernisation challenges faced by public administrations.

In addition, the possibility of developing a national cybersecurity managed services industry will be explored and the potential of data centres and connectivity to consolidate Madrid and Spain as a digital hub in Southern Europe will be highlighted.

Silicon was able to briefly interview Felix de la Fuente in his role as vice president of ASLAN, and we asked him about this year’s participation: “Currently, we have approximately 150 companies exhibiting at the congress, which reflects a high representation of the 180 members of the association. The growth of the congress has been remarkable year on year, and this year stands out both for the quantity and quality of the participants and the strong message being conveyed to address business needs.”

Furthermore, de la Fuente has qualified, “The Congress is a resounding success, with impressive growth rates. This event is a crucial meeting point that brings together companies from different sectors to foster technological development, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence. The presence and discussion around artificial intelligence reflects the paradigm shift that is transforming our lives and society in general.”

More statements from Sponsors and participating companies

Adela de Toledo, Country Manager at PureStorage Iberia, also spoke to us as a sponsor company spokesperson, and offered her vision of the congress: “For PureStorage, sponsoring the ASLAN 24 Congress represents a continued commitment to a unique meeting and reference point for customers, partners and industry colleagues. This event allows us to highlight our innovative solutions, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence and subscription sustainability.”

De Toledo has even dared to qualify the meeting: “The most characteristic feature of this congress is innovation. ASLAN has become a pivotal point where customers show great interest and where the focus is on innovation and the solutions offered by the partner ecosystem. This year, we are highlighting three main themes: artificial intelligence, sustainability and subscription services, which reflect current market trends.

On the other hand, Daniel Asensio, Country Manager of Wildix Iberia, explained what it means for the unified communications company to be present at this congress: “For Wildix, participating in the ASLAN 24 Congress is a significant milestone this year. We are witnessing a complete shift in the unified communications paradigm with the integration of artificial intelligence. This event marks a new stage in the evolution of communications, where virtual and traditional PBXs are being transformed. The prominent presence of artificial intelligence in this context speaks to the changing trend in the market and in the usability of unified communications technologies”.

Furthermore, Asensio drew a comparison with last year’s ASLAN conference: “From ASLAN 2023 until now, we have witnessed an abysmal change. The integration of artificial intelligence has not only revolutionised content and applications, but also operational functionalities and adaptation to fifth generation networks. This year, we are moving from a usability scenario to a strategic one, where artificial intelligence is integrated into various sectors such as security, infrastructure and unified communications.”

A congress packed with forums

Cybersecurity Forum

The Cybersecurity Forum at ASLAN 2024 is an essential event for professionals concerned with the security of systems, infrastructures, data, networks and applications. Under the title “Technology Trends 2024”, this space brings together leading industry experts to explore the latest trends in IT security, with a special emphasis on the impact of Artificial Intelligence.

The panels offer an up-to-date and global view on new cybersecurity threats and corresponding defence strategies, as well as the crucial role of AI in protecting smart grids.

In addition, topics such as the protection of hybrid workstations, the challenges and benefits of the Internet of Things (IoT) in terms of security, the “As-a-Service” cybersecurity model and the importance of cyber resilience in business continuity are addressed. The discussions are enriched with data and expert forecasts, such as the projection that by 2026, 70% of Boards of Directors will have a member with cybersecurity expertise, according to Gartner.

Digital Innovation & AI

The Digital Innovation & AI Forum at ASLAN 2024 highlights the importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in transforming the technology landscape, along with the advantages provided by cloud infrastructures and advances in connectivity. This event provides a platform to explore how businesses can make the most of these technologies from the ground up, with the participation of leading experts in the field.

Panels address topics such as automating processes and workflows through AI, the role of Business Intelligence and Data Driven models in business decision making, the impact of generative AI on the workplace, and new trends in networking such as SD-WAN, NaaS and hybrid cloud. These discussions offer a holistic view of how AI and digital innovation are transforming business and how companies can adapt to stay competitive in an ever-evolving marketplace.

Digitalisation in Public Administrations

The VII Annual National Meeting of Experts in Public Administration Technology, an integral part of the ASLAN 2024 Congress, brings together leaders and experts from the public sector to explore the latest technological trends and their impact on improving citizen services, resilience in complex environments and the opportunities arising from the Spain Digital 2026 Plan and Next Generation EU funds.

This exclusive space for heads of technology of the NSA, regional and local governments, provides a forum for debate on crucial issues such as innovative public procurement, efficiency in the public sector and economic recovery. Attendees have the opportunity to participate in a series of talks and panels moderated by industry experts, addressing everything from technology challenges in the NGA to the consolidation of technology projects, the adoption of hybrid cloud and data sovereignty, the momentum of Next Gen Funds and the importance of data and AI in the delivery of public services. In addition, the need to promote effective public-private collaboration for territorial digitisation and the improvement of procurement processes in all administrations is highlighted.

Annual ICT Executives Meeting

The ICT Executives Meeting in the framework of the ASLAN 2024 Congress is presented as an annual exchange space for CIOs, CTOs and CISOs, focused on exploring the opportunities offered by digital innovation to promote more competitive, secure and intelligent companies.

This year, the focus is on the impact of artificial intelligence on a range of key issues, from data management to automation to the evolution of digital work environments. Business leaders will discuss how to leverage these technologies to contribute to corporate growth and develop digital services, highlighting the importance of integrating technology into business strategy to meet the challenges of the future.

The Forum’s Panel Talks will address a range of topics crucial to the digital transformation of companies. From prioritising investments in customer experience to the impact of digitisation on the workplace and the adoption of cloud technologies, strategies to improve agility, security and efficiency in an increasingly digitised business environment will be discussed.

Technology experts will share their knowledge and experiences on how to leverage these trends to maintain customer loyalty, improve productivity and lead digitisation in IBEX35 companies, demonstrating the crucial role of digital innovation in today’s business competitiveness.

Objective 2030 Trends Forum: From the Edge to the Sustainable Cloud

Under the theme “From the Edge to the Sustainable Cloud”, this Forum focuses on accelerating the transition to a more digital and sustainable future. With the growing demand for sustainable solutions from the market, investors and governments, as well as the need to optimise energy costs and comply with new regulations, the ICT sector is intensifying its transformation process.

In this forum, participants share visions, approaches and solutions to advance the transition towards sustainability, highlighting technologies such as Edge Computing, Artificial Intelligence, IoT and Quantum Computing. This cycle of forums is presented as an opportunity to address challenges, trends and technological advances, with the aim of improving energy efficiency and digitalisation, generating a positive impact on the decarbonisation of the economy and business competitiveness.

Gala dinner and awards ceremony

During the evening of 17 April, the ASLAN 2024 Congress, the gala dinner and the awaited awards ceremony, supported by the partner companies, will take place. At this event, the best digitisation projects in public administration will be recognised at the 16th AAPP awards ceremony. In addition, the outstanding “career path” of technology leaders in key sectors such as retail, healthcare and transport & logistics, who have participated in ASLAN’s Multisectoral Programme, will be highlighted.