Step by step, Spain is consolidating its transition to a data-driven economy, where digital information generated by citizens, companies and administrations becomes a strategic asset as valuable as oil or coal were in previous centuries. as valuable a strategic asset as oil or coal were in previous centuries. This was stated by Ruth del Campo, CEO of Dato, during her speech at the Digitales Summit 20 her speech at the Digitales Summit 2025The data economy already represents 4% of Spanish GDP and is expected to reach 5% in the next few years. is expected to reach 5% in the coming years.

In a world where technology is advancing at a vertiginous pace, the real challenge is no longer whether or not to whether or not to digitizebut how to do it with a clear purpose. And so it was defended by the speakers at the round table, in which in addition to Ruth del Campo intervened Javier Martín, Iberica Distribution Manager of Lexmark; and José Luis Maté, CTO of NEC, moderated by Hernán Rodríguez, disseminator and publisher of The Digital Equation.

Ruth del Campo opened the conversation by reminding the audience that technologies such as 5G, 6G, Small Cells, IoT, robotics and autonomous vehicles are not an end in themselves, but tools to transform the way we produce, consume, move and make decisions. are not an end in themselves, but tools to transform the way we produce, consume, move and make decisions.

In this new paradigm, he said, data is the driving force. Not only do they power artificial intelligence and advanced networks, but they become the strategic asset that enables faster, more accurate and sustainable decisions. “Sharing data for the sake of sharing does not generate value. You have to use it to solve real problems or enable new business models,” he stressed.

Thus, he described how the Directorate General for Data is promoting a plan to create sectorial and inter-sectorial data spaces with the aim of enabling companies, administrations and research centers to work on common infrastructures that guarantee interoperability and security. These spaces, he said, will enable technologies such as 5G and IoT to unfold their full potential, from intelligent energy management to connected mobility.

AI to increase device lifetime fourfold

Javier Martín offered a business perspective from Lexmark, a company that, he said, “has had sustainability in its DNA since 1991”. The company applies IoT and data analytics to optimize the life cycle of your devices and reduce your environmental footprint.

Through sensors and connectivity, your printers and equipment transmit real-time information about usage, wear and possible failures. This allows anticipate failures, reduce unnecessary interventions and design more durable products.in some cases quadrupling the service life of key components.

Martin explained that Lexmark is also leading circular economy programs such as the Cartridge Collection Programwhich collects and reconditions millions of toners a year, incorporating recycled parts into new products. “In this way we reduce raw material extraction, transportation cycles and emissions, while helping our customers meet sustainability goals,” Martin explained.

Their approach demonstrates how the combination of data, connectivity, and artificial intelligence can become a profitable and sustainable business modelaligned with regulatory demands and consumer expectations.

Digital twins and urban AI: the city as a smart organism

In the field of urban management, José Luis Maté, CTO of NEC, highlighted that. more than 70% of CO₂ emissions are generated in urban environments.emissions, so cities are at the center of the ecological transition.

But there are, he said, key tools to reduce them: digital twins e artificial intelligence applied to urban management. A digital twin is a virtual replica of a city or one of its systems – power grid, transportation, sanitation – that allows simulating future scenarios and making decisions before implementing changes in the real world.

This opens up possibilities such as reducing heat islands by simulating green areas, changing paving materials to improve urban temperature, or reorganizing traffic to reduce emissions and energy consumption.changing paving materials to improve urban temperature or reorganizing traffic to reduce emissions and energy consumption.

AI, on the other hand, acts as the the brain of the cityThe smart cities are not the ones that have the most sensors, but the ones that use information in the most intelligent way to improve the lives of their citizens,” Maté summarized. “Smart cities are not those that have the most sensors, but those that use information more intelligently to improve the lives of their citizens,” Maté summarized.

Data spaces, the backbone of technology integration

Both in the energy transition and in the circular economy, interoperable interoperable data spaces are essential. Ruth del Campo detailed that there are already advanced projects in sectors such as health, agri-food, commerce and mobility. In the health sector, she said, work is being carried out with the Ministry of Health and the autonomous communities for analyzing antibiotic resistance or predicting hospital admissions for chronic diseases..

In the agricultural sector, cooperatives use shared data to optimize logistics and prices; and in tourism, weather and calendar data are cross-referenced to adjust staff recruitment. These examples demonstrate that the interoperability and cross-industry data sharing can multiply the impact of emerging technologies. can multiply the impact of emerging technologies5G can connect IoT devices, AI can process information, and the results can be applied in both industrial and urban environments.

The integration of these technologies also opens the door to cleaner mobility. cleaner mobility and optimized optimized management of urban resources. Sensors installed in garbage containers allow trucks to collect waste only when necessary, reducing emissions and noise. Intelligent lighting is activated only when pedestrians are present, reducing energy consumption.

Add to this the predictive capabilities of AI and the low-latency infrastructure of 5G, and in the future 6G, and cities will be able to react almost in real time to changes in traffic, weather conditions or energy consumption peaks, adjusting their systems to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impact.

European funds and strategic opportunity for Spain

The Director General of Dato underlined that Spain is already the third European economy in the data economy. and that the European funds represent a historic opportunity to consolidate this position. “It is time to be brave, innovative and responsible with the use of public resources, so that Spain leads the data economy and the practical application of these technologies,” he said.

The roundtable made it clear that the key is not to deploy more sensors or install faster networks for their own sake, but to integrate all these technological capabilities into management and business models that respond to clear objectives. integrating all these technological capabilities into management and business models that respond to clear objectives: reducing emissions, optimizing resources, extending the life of products and improving people’s quality of life.The key is not to deploy more sensors or install faster networks on their own, but to integrate all these technological capabilities into management and business models that respond to clear objectives: reducing emissions, optimizing resources, extending the life of products and improving people’s quality of life.

In this new scenario, interoperable interoperable data spaces will be the backbone connecting advances in 5G, 6G, IoT, robotics, autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence with the energy transition and the circular economy. The challenge now is to accelerate their development and ensure that the benefits spread throughout society.

You can watch the full video of the debate here.