Recommendations for assembling a practical and well-equipped first aid kit – 2024-02-16 00:19:22

By Francisco Guzmán, president of the Chilean Association of Information Technology Companies AG (ACTI AG)

Technology represents a key driver of the economic growth of countries and their inhabitants, being a driver of innovation, job creation, productivity and competitiveness, among many factors that generate significant returns when investing in it. Despite this, according to figures from the Central Bank, Chile spends only 0.34% of its GDP on R&D.

In that sense, in our country, it becomes extremely necessary to redouble the efforts made in vital areas in which we have greater participation such as mining, forestry or fishing and in all current and future productive or service sectors that allow us to continue growing in this line.

From the Chilean Association of Information Technology Companies AG, we are working together with the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation to help meet its objectives of enhancing the system of generation and transmission of knowledge and availability for this to be fulfilled and helping from our role as a trade association and to be promoters of what we have called a virtuous helix that brings together the private and public worlds, academia and civil society.

At the same time, trade associations such as CPC and SOFOFA have suggested that to advance in matters of economic growth, social and fiscal responsibility it becomes necessary to improve the areas of tax competitiveness, make an effort in public spending, combat informality and evasion and make efforts in the areas of modernization and permitting, thus increasing efficiency in those related to bureaucratic processes and achieving the execution of critical projects more quickly.

For this reason, it is imperative to set a pro-growth agenda that promotes the development of employment and in this, technology cannot be absent, contemplating areas such as digital literacy and constant training, in such a way as to generate a harmonious relationship between employees and the industry, thus reducing fears of potential job losses, especially in sectors where a high degree of automation exists or is projected.

In the same way, understanding the reality and location of our current and future productive sectors, and considering the institutional and energy conditions that our territory offers – even today where we compete with Singapore or the Netherlands in Internet download speed -, we must work to improve and provide connectivity and infrastructure throughout the country, both in rural and urban areas, achieving, among other benefits, becoming an offer for foreign investments in matters such as data centers or human capital talent.

At the same time, having this allows us to generate spaces for reducing digital gaps, bringing together tools of vital importance today such as education through the use of the Internet, something that various public-private organizations are carrying out, as a Digital Country and its “Connecting Territories” program, thus allowing communities to transform their environment, empowering people and strengthening local economies.

Technology is an accelerator in comparative terms with other industries and generates significant returns when invested in it. As ACTI AG we want to be an axis for this to work, collaborating comprehensively with the rest of the actors in this ecosystem and thus be true leaders in digital transformation worldwide, the opportunity is enormous and doing it well will be fundamental for the growth of the country’s economy.