On February 26, 27, 28 and 29, the city of Barcelona hosted a new edition of the Mobile World Congress, one of the world's most important connectivity and digital technology events. According to the organization, the Mobile World Congress 2024 had 101,000 attendees, 2,700 exhibitors, sponsors and partners and 1,100 speakers spread over 260 sessions, very positive figures that approach the record figures obtained before health emergency, when 109,000 people attended. This year, the emergence of artificial intelligence and the deployment of 5G were the big topics.
As part of the successful event, several initiatives were presented that worked to promote a responsible, critical and transformative view of the new information and communication technologies. "Artificial intelligence is an opportunity to be able to reduce the excess of bureaucracy in the Public Administration and to guarantee more personalized access", said Francina Alsina, president of the Taula del Tercer Sector, during the presentation of a report from the m4Social initiative on the risks and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence in relation to the guarantee of social rights. Likewise, the mSchools educational community brought together experts, disseminators, creators and entrepreneurs in a space of technological innovation and an international meeting point. In the same way, the inclusion of talent was discussed at the round table 'El gap de Talento Digital y BCN Inclusive Coding' at the stand of Mobile World Capital Barcelona, where the immersive multimedia experience 'Remember the future' was also enjoyed.
"This is a space where supercomputing is explained in a very visual way and where the humanism of technology is conveyed. The demonstration, the only one without screens at the Mobile World Congress 2024, makes a comparison so that the computing capacity of the MareNostrum 5 can be understood", explained Mariona Sanz, director of innovation at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, about the artistic installation 'Catalunya: modelant el futur amb la supercomputació' by the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center. "The Tiago is a robot that is part of an assistance robotics project that we hope can accompany the elderly and dependent people", comments Josep Bravo, cognitive robotics engineer, at the Eurecat stand.