Public digitalization, artificial intelligence, the implementation of strategic projects, and economic internationalization… The Canary Islands, like all regions, are facing an ambitious transformation agenda. And for this monumental task, they have found a key partner. This is Cumbre 8, whose president, Marcos Cohen Simancas, has over 18 years of experience in both the public and private sectors as an industrial engineer. Previously, he led PwC’s consulting division for the Canary Islands for six years and was the director of one of Spain’s largest youth centers, an experience that shaped his understanding of the real impact of public policy decisions. Currently, the company is providing technical assistance to the Strategic Projects Office of the Canary Islands, which is under the Presidency of the Government, where it is working on the digital transformation and artificial intelligence initiatives for the public administration of the Canary Islands.
What does it mean, in practice, to maintain this position at the “heart” of the archipelago’s economic and administrative transformation?
Above all, it means priority. In government, a project’s position says as much as what it actually entails. The fact that the OPE reports directly to the Presidency is neither a coincidence nor simply a matter of organizational structure; it is the Government’s way of making it clear that the economic and administrative transformation of the Canary Islands is the top priority of this parliamentary term. This is what it means to be at the heart of the system: to have a global view of the entire landscape and to be where the real decisions are made about the future direction of the archipelago. For Cumbre 8, this is a tremendous honor.
You argue that the digitization of the public sector is not just a technological issue but also one of competitiveness. Where is this most evident?
Speed. The time it takes for the administration to respond to a citizen or a business has become a key competitive factor, because whoever responds quickly attracts people. What is remarkable is that the Canary Islands have decided to address this. The fact that the Digital Transformation and AI Strategy for the Canary Islands Public Administration Services is currently being developed means that the Government has recognized the challenge and has decided to tackle it. The goal is for the administration to keep pace with the society and economy it serves.
Technology only solves the “how”; we, as people, decide the “what” and the “why.”
Before digitizing, it is necessary to check whether public services are designed with today’s citizens and businesses in mind. What mistakes are made when technology is applied to poorly designed processes?
The most common mistake is digitizing bureaucracy instead of eliminating it. If a process forces a citizen to submit the same document at five different counters and you simply digitize it as is, all you’ll achieve is that they’ll have to submit it at five digital counters. That’s all you’ll accomplish. The user who really matters isn’t the person processing the application, but the citizen. We have to put the person at the center and design the best possible procedure for them, and only when that is clear should technology come into play.
Artificial intelligence is seen as a means to automate procedures, reduce administrative burdens, and eliminate duplication. Where can it deliver the fastest improvements?
Where there is a high volume of work and a lot of repetition – precisely where a person spends the most time and adds the least value. License processing, document management, and checking files for errors. In all these areas, AI can reduce response times from weeks to hours, without the need for a major investment in infrastructure. That said, the process must be well-designed before it’s automated. Because AI amplifies what it finds: if it finds a good process, it makes it run like clockwork; if it finds a flawed one, it crashes and burns even faster.
It also warns that AI is not a substitute for strategic judgment or local knowledge. Where does the line lie?
Technology solves the ‘how’; we, as people, decide the ‘what’ and the ‘why’. A platform can analyze thousands of files in seconds, but it won’t tell you if the project you’re working on will have a real impact on the local area, if the timing is right, or if the team responsible for its implementation will actually be able to do it. That’s judgment, and judgment is built on context. Emotional intelligence versus artificial intelligence. AI processes data; IE understands people.
One of the project’s objectives is to accelerate strategic initiatives in 14 areas of economic transformation. What is often missing when it comes to turning a good project—a plan on paper—into its effective implementation?
It’s rare that what people believe is missing, actually is. Usually, it’s not a lack of will or funding. What’s almost always missing is having the groundwork laid in advance. European funds aren’t lost at the application stage; they’re lost long before, when the money arrives and the project isn’t yet ready to be implemented. The difference is made by the technical capacity for implementation—which is not the same as design capacity—and having projects ready for the exact moment the funds become available. This is precisely what an office like the one created by the Government of the Canary Islands is for: to ensure that things are not just decided, but actually carried out.
