Five big demands from the tech industry since Mobile in Barcelona

Prototypes of robots that work without built-in sensors and can connect to each other, mobile phones with a robotic arm that recognizes the user and allows interaction with them, triple-foldable devices, or computers with 3D screens. The technological innovations exhibited these days at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) show a new stage of artificial intelligence that is increasingly physical and integrated into everyday objects, with greater execution capacity. AI no longer just assists, it executes.

But the congress that brings together more than 100,000 professionals from the global connectivity industry in Barcelona is not just a showcase for innovation. It also functions as a thermometer of the sector's current state.

In a context where Europe is trying to reduce the technological gap with the United States and China, the halls of Fira have also become a space to bring to the table the concerns and demands of the digital ecosystem.

These are five of the most repeated requests during the first days of the Mobile.

1. Unblock mergers to gain scale

One of the most reiterated demands from operators is the need to allow greater consolidation of the telecommunications sector in Europe.

The chairman of Telefónica, Marc Murtra, has insisted that the continent needs larger companies if it wants to compete in the new digital economy. As he argued during the congress, only with companies of greater scale and financial muscle will it be possible to undertake the enormous investments required by technologies such as artificial intelligence or cybersecurity.

Murtra has asked European regulators to facilitate mergers within the sector. "We need larger companies, with more resources, greater risk capacity, and the ability to make deeper technological investments," he argued. The idea also has the support of the Spanish Government, which considers a more integrated European market key to strengthening the continent's competitiveness.

2. Gain speed in a moment of technological acceleration

Another word that has been repeated in several Mobile debates isspeed.

The emergence of generative artificial intelligence is accelerating the pace of technological innovation at a speed that many executives consider difficult to keep up with current regulatory and business structures. Murtra summarized it with a clear idea: in recent months, the sector has experienced a deeper technological transformation than in decades.

According to the executive, new AI models appear practically every month and are transforming the way digital products are programmed, developed, and tested. In this context, Europe needs to react with greater agility if it wants to avoid falling behind in the global technological race.

3. Review regulation to facilitate investment

The debate on regulation is another constant of the congress. Several sector executives have called for European regulations that facilitate investment and technological innovation.

The CEO of Cellnex, Marco Patuano, has warned that if regulation does not evolve at the same pace as technology, Europe risks falling behind. As he explained, the deployment of new digital infrastructures and the exponential increase in data usage will require very significant investments from companies in the sector.

For this reason, operators are calling for regulation that prioritizes technological development and allows capital to be mobilized to face the challenges of digitalization.

4. More human and ethical technology

If technology companies have used the Mobile to make demands on regulators, politicians have also used the stage to send messages to the sector.

One of the most repeated has been the need to develop a technology that is more human, ethical, and people-centered. The mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, defended transparent and inclusive artificial intelligence during the inauguration of the congress, while different speakers warned of the social risks of intensive technology use.

The actorAaron Paul, known for his role inBreaking Bad, warned about the addictive nature of mobile phones and criticized that many digital services are designed to constantly capture users' attention. Along the same lines, the creator of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, reminded developers that every technological system implies an ethical decision: it can be designed to empower users or to foster toxic dynamics.

5. Incorporate more female talent into the digital sector

Finally, the Mobile has also once again focused on one of the great structural challenges of the technology industry: the lack of women in digital professions.

Currently, only 19.5% of ICT specialists in the European Union are women. Faced with this reality, initiatives such as the Talent Arena —promoted by Mobile World Capital— seek to reinforce the visibility of female talent and generate new role models within the sector.

According to the Head of Digital Talent at MWCapital, Jordi Arrufí, one of the objectives is precisely to increase female participation in technological talent, with specific presentations and debate spaces on challenges such as work-life balance or professional careers in engineering. The demand gains even more relevance this week, coinciding with March 8, International Women's Day.

A debate that goes beyond technology

The Mobile is, every year, a window to the future. But also a reminder that technological leadership is not built only with good engineers, new devices or algorithms.

It is built with markets capable of generating scale, regulations that do not hinder innovation, diverse talent and a clear vision of the digital model that is to be promoted. The demands that have been heard these days in Barcelona are, in essence, the same question: what role does Europe want to play in the IQ Era, the era of the intelligence quotient?