Innovation transforms society and the economy. It is the response to humanity’s great challenges, due to its capacity to move us forward and improve our quality of life. Although it requires an initial effort of adaptation, this is a small cost compared to the advantages it can offer us in our daily lives.
Banks are making intense and constant efforts to adapt to consumer habits and the environment—a basic requirement for the survival of any company, as reflected in the daily decisions made by firms in this environment of accelerated change driven by digitalization. For example, the development and application of models based on data management and AI are already fundamental elements for improving financial services, making them more efficient and tailored to customer needs, while also reinforcing aspects such as security and trust.
Undoubtedly, the speed of change can cause vertigo. Today’s increasingly digital society demands constant innovation to respond to emerging challenges. Artificial intelligence, the shift in job profiles that will be in demand in the future, and the need to ensure no one is left behind from the resulting benefits are some of the ingredients in this equation. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) advocates for a more digital society as a prelude to greater economic growth and prosperity to combat inequality, something it calls the ‘inclusive revolution,’ especially in emerging countries. In more advanced countries, digitalization represents an opportunity to grow more and better through new opportunities that we discover every day and that allow us to improve our quality of life.
Like any structural change, digitalization will require a more or less prolonged period of adaptation; a significant challenge for many individuals, businesses, and governments, which not all of us will be able, or willing, to face. Given this reality, it must not be forgotten that digitalization should be an advantage at our disposal, but never an insurmountable barrier. Banks have understood this clearly, and as we advance in the fight against the pandemic, they have readjusted access to financial services, ensuring in-person and preferential attention for the elderly and people with disabilities who require it.
José Luis Martínez Campuzano, Spokesperson for the Spanish Banking Association
