The Diplomat
The Spain-United States Forum, which was held on Friday and Saturday in Santa Fe (New Mexico), has focused on the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and others of mutual interest such as climate change or drought.
The XXVII edition of the forum, organized by the Spain-USA Council Foundation and the United States Spain Council, featured the participation of the governor of the state of New Mexico, Michelle Luján Grisham, as well as the ambassador of Spain in Washington , Ángeles Moreno; and the United States ambassador in Madrid, Julissa Reynoso. Likewise, the Spanish Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, José Luis Escrivá, participated, after having held meetings with technology companies throughout the week in California.
The meeting allowed senior officials and representatives of large companies in both countries to address “the challenges and opportunities presented by three key issues in the current international context: the advance of artificial intelligence, the impact of cybercrime and climate change and the effects of the drought on the economy and on the people”.
Issues related to the energy transition, cultural exchange between the two countries through film and television, and topics on the bilateral public and private agenda were also discussed at the conference.
The forum, a continuation of the one held in Bilbao in 2022, was organized by the Spain-USA Council Foundation, chaired by the CEO of Repsol, Josu Jon Imaz, and on an honorary basis by the US senator Ben Ray Luján, who also participated in the two-day event.
Michelle Luján Grisham, the first Latina Democrat to be elected governor in the history of the United States, pointed to the teaching of Spanish in public schools and the preservation of New Mexico’s natural ecosystem as some of the top priorities of her administration.
The opening session also featured interventions by the two ambassadors, who agreed to point out the excellent state of relations between Spain and the United States, while Josu Jon Imaz emphasized that the two countries “share the democratic values of Atlanticism and freedom, as well as of historical and cultural ties, and cooperate in multiple areas.” “Holding this Forum in this city highlights the honesty of our relations,” he added.
The first session of the forum addressed the challenges and opportunities presented by the unstoppable advance of artificial intelligence, while the second was dedicated to cybersecurity, the global fight against cybercrime, as well as the impact of climate change and, especially, drought. in commerce, the economy and people’s lives.
The meeting, which has been held since 1995, included the participation of representatives from companies such as Pfizer, Microsoft, Acciona Energía and Netflix.
Officials such as the director of the White House cyber office, Harry Cocker, and the State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs, Diego Martínez Belío, also participated.
Santa Fe hosted this meeting for the second time, in a venue that has symbolic importance, since it was the northern end of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, a 2,500-kilometer commercial route that linked Mexico City with Santa Fe, the largest capital city. ancient of the United States.
