Operator said it now has more than AI 400 professionals located across ten specialised centres
Telefónica’s digital business unit Telefónica Tech said it now has more than 400 professionals with AI expertise distributed in Spain, the UK, Central Europe, Brazil and Hispam (Latam) to provide customers with a service tailored to local needs and consolidate its position as a benchmark technology partner
These professionals are currently distributed in the 10 specialised centres that the company has created in Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Valladolid), the United Kingdom (London), Central Europe (Slovenia and Austria), Brazil (Sao Paulo) and the Hispam region (Santiago de Chile and Mexico City) to provide a full service and extended hours to customers.
“We have numerous technological solutions to optimise the processes of organisations based on artificial intelligence and the enormous potential it offers when combined with other technologies such as the IoT, blockchain and cybersecurity,” said Telefónica Tech director of the artificial intelligence and data business unit Elena Gil Lizasoain.
“The global knowledge and experience of our teams is allowing us, for example, to help companies predict the demand for their products, automate processes, improve their decision making and personalise their customers’ experience,” she added.
The operator has also signed deals with hyperscalers that include AI elements. For example, last February, Microsoft announced its Responsible AI Innovation Center (RAIIC) in Spain, in which Telefónica Tech collaborates, along with 15 other technology partners, to promote the adoption and secure use of artificial intelligence. And two weeks ago, Telefónica Tech announced a new agreement with Microsoft to bring next-generation cybersecurity services, including automation and AI elements, to enterprises around the world.
Last week, the operator renewed and extending its partnership with Google Cloud. Telefónica is already using Google Cloud internally to advance in its own digital transformation, including using Google Cloud’s technologies in areas such as IT through its “Go to Cloud” programme. The unit also has engaged AWS for wider cloud initiatives – nearly 80% of its workforce earned over 400 AWS Certifications and more than 800 AWS Partner Accreditations. Telefónica Tech also launched an AWS Cloud Camp, known as Escuela 42, to create new pools of cloud talent in Spain.
Sector targets
Telefónica Tech has artificial intelligence products and services adapted to the specific needs of different sectors of activity, with public administration, health, industry and sport being the areas in which some of the most relevant projects have recently been developed.
The operator said it is collaborating on projects with several employment departments to help improve the functioning of the labour market with a model based on professional skills, which allows predicting those that will be most in demand and guiding the unemployed with training recommendations.
In the healthcare sector, Telefónica Tech has developed a joint product with the multinational Solventum (formerly 3M Healthcare) to boost the optimisation of hospital emergency services. AI makes it possible to predict the number of patients who will attend in the coming days, what specialties they will require and how many of them may need to be admitted. In industry, Telefónica Tech is applying AI to exploit the data generated in the factory to facilitate demand planning, predictive maintenance and quality control, avoiding production stoppages and minimising the consumption of raw materials.
Sport is another of the areas in which Telefónica Tech is intensively applying this technology together with IoT to help technical teams to improve athletes’ training, prevent possible injuries and prepare strategies for each competition. For example, the company is helping the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation to improve the performance of athletes using inertial measurement devices and the application of AI algorithms and advanced analytics on the data collected.