SUMMARY:

During a recent conference, Josep Maria Martorell, Associate Director of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, explained the technical foundations behind the rapid growth of artificial intelligence over the past decades.

INFORMATION:

Martorell's analysis is based on three fundamental components—data, algorithms, and computing power—which serve as the pillars supporting AI development and help define the strategies that governments and organizations should adopt to harness its potential while reducing development gaps across Latin America.

According to Martorell, artificial intelligence is already transforming three major areas: the economy, employment, and organizational management. From disrupting traditional business models to automating processes and increasing individual productivity, AI is no longer a discussion about the future—it is an ongoing transformation reshaping entire industries.

The Three Pillars of Artificial Intelligence

The first pillar is the volume and quality of available data. Without sufficient, well-structured information, AI models lack the essential input required for training and continuous improvement.

The second pillar consists of algorithms—increasingly sophisticated mathematical models capable of identifying patterns, making predictions, and supporting decision-making based on available data.

The third pillar is computing power: the technological infrastructure—including servers, specialized processors, and distributed systems—required to execute these algorithms efficiently and within practical timeframes.

Progress in any one of these pillars drives advances in the others. However, Martorell also emphasized the limitations associated with AI adoption, highlighting the importance of addressing risks, bias, and ethical considerations throughout its implementation.

Three Areas of Transformative Impact

The first is the disruption of business models. Organizations that strategically integrate AI technologies can redefine their value proposition and unlock new business opportunities.

The second area is the large-scale automation of processes. AI enables organizations to free up valuable time and redesign workflows, allowing teams to focus on more complex decisions and higher-value strategic activities. In this context, Business Process Management Systems (BPMS) play an increasingly important role by enabling organizations to model, automate, and optimize business processes.

The third dimension is the increase in individual productivity. AI agents allow people to move from sequential ways of working to parallel workflows, coordinating multiple tasks simultaneously and significantly improving efficiency.

Developing AI-Based Solutions

STATUM is actively incorporating AI capabilities into its business process management platforms.

As part of Apia's development roadmap, the company is building an advanced forms assistant that will leverage cognitive capabilities to automatically populate form fields based on natural language instructions, images, or PDF documents. This functionality will be particularly valuable for generating test data and creating detailed tutorials complete with screenshots.

For digital services solutions, STATUM is also developing an intelligent assistant capable of automatically completing forms using images of identity documents or utility bills. The solution will additionally support voice dictation for data entry, improving accessibility while significantly reducing the time required to complete digital procedures.

STATUM is also working on an AI-powered procedure generator capable of creating the complete structure of a digital procedure from basic information such as its name, the responsible organization, and the applicable regulations. The goal is to automate tasks that previously required weeks or even months of work, reducing the process to approximately one day while generating preliminary versions for institutional review prior to deployment.

Challenges for the Region

Martorell stressed that developing effective public policies for AI requires institutional transformation, long-term commitment, and a strategic regional vision. Countries capable of combining technological innovation, institutional capacity, and strategic cooperation will be better positioned to capitalize on AI's potential while narrowing development gaps.

Within this landscape, Uruguay is emerging as a significant regional player. Its ability to bring together the public sector, academia, and industry—combined with established digital governance frameworks and locally developed technological solutions—provides a strong foundation for advancing these three pillars of artificial intelligence.