Óscar López advocates for a humanistic digital third way for Ibero-America

Óscar López, the Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Administration, has inaugurated the Ibero-American Digital Forum at the Royal Mint in Madrid. He stated, "If we want, Ibero-America can close the digital divide between the Global North and South," during the high-level meeting that coincides with the XXX Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government.

The forum brings together representatives from 22 countries, international organisations, technology companies, and civil society to discuss key issues surrounding digital transformation. López emphasised that the forum aims to establish digital transformation as a cornerstone of the Ibero-American community in the 21st century, addressing topics that affect the lives of over 700 million people.

The minister recalled that Ibero-American countries had previously outlined a roadmap towards a joint Ibero-American Digital Agenda at the 2021 summit in Andorra, with significant milestones including the Ibero-American Charter of Principles and Rights in Digital Environments, approved at the 2023 summit in the Dominican Republic. He also highlighted commitments made to promote AI language models in Spanish and Portuguese, as well as the establishment of the EU-Latin America and Caribbean Supercomputing Network in 2025.

López pointed out that Ibero-American languages, including Spanish and Portuguese, comprise over 850 million speakers, yet the major global AI engines are predominantly trained in English. He asserted, "None of our countries can live outside the digital revolution," and posed the question of whether Ibero-America wants to be a data farm, a dependent client, or a sovereign digital producer. He believes that Europe and Latin America can lead a humanistic, multilateral, sustainable, and trustworthy digital third way in contrast to the models of China and the USA.

Following the forum, the First Ibero-American Ministerial Meeting on Digital Transformation and AI will discuss the Madrid Declaration and the Ibero-American Alliance for Artificial Intelligence, which are intended to foster a sovereign, ethical, and trustworthy AI.

Andrés Allamand, the Ibero-American Secretary-General, also addressed the forum, warning that "artificial intelligence will not wait for Ibero-America." He urged the region to organise itself to influence AI development, stating, "This Alliance is born so that the region stops being merely a user of technologies designed elsewhere and builds its own, with our data, our languages, and our priorities."

The forum features global experts in digital rights, cybersecurity, and digital governance, alongside senior representatives from Ibero-American countries involved in digital transformation. It includes four presentations and panels discussing digital rights, child protection, connectivity, cybersecurity, digital administration, and artificial intelligence.

The programme begins with Mexican activist Olimpia Coral, who will speak on digital rights and creating violence-free digital spaces for girls and women. A victim of digital sexual violence at 18, her experience led to the creation of the Olimpia Law in Mexico, which recognises digital violence as a form of violence against women.

Other notable speakers include Elizabeth Bodine-Baron, a senior cybersecurity scientist; Mateo Valero, director of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center; and Sebas Muriel, Chief Digital Officer of Telefónica. The forum also features Ana García Robles from the UN, Pedro Duque, president of Hispasat, and José Ignacio Latorre from the University of Barcelona, among others.

The discussions will be moderated by key figures such as María González Veracruz, Secretary of State for Digitalisation and AI, and Antonio Hernando, Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Critical Infrastructures.