Murcia's Innovation Mandate
Miryam Fuertes: Murcia Must Innovate Productive Sector, AI Elevates Human Talent
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Miryam Fuertes, the first female president in the 125-year history of the Murcia Chamber of Commerce, delivered a stark warning on June 17, 2026: Murcia's companies must innovate or get squeezed out. Speaking at the III Mediterranean Economic and Social Forum, she described the global market as an "inverted sandwich" — a structure where unspecialized producers in the middle are being hollowed out by competition from above and below. La Nueva España reported her call to action directly.
Her core message: artificial intelligence will not replace human workers, but it will demand a new kind of professional — one with stronger analytical skills, sharper judgment, and greater adaptability. Business analysts at the forum echoed that view. For Murcia, a region where AI adoption stood at just 6.6% in 2023 — well below Spain's national average of 9.5% — the urgency is real, according to El Periódico de Aragón.
Murcia's 'Inverted Sandwich' Problem Demands Innovation Now
Fuertes used the "inverted sandwich" analogy to explain a hard economic reality. High value exists at the extremes — raw innovation at one end, premium services at the other. The unspecialized middle is shrinking fast. Murcia's industrial sector, she argued, is dangerously close to that low-value center. "We must transform our productive fabric," she said. "Innovation is no longer just technological. It means converting knowledge into useful solutions," according to La Opinión de Zamora.
Fuertes pointed to a key opportunity: for the first time, small businesses have the same access to digital tools as large multinationals. By mid-2025, the Chamber had already issued 25,343 "Bono Digital" grants to Murcian SMEs. That program, she said, is proof that the tools for transformation are already available — companies just need to use them, as El Periódico Mediterráneo noted.
€1.73 Billion Industrial Plan Targets 100,000 Jobs by 2035
The regional government is not waiting. In February 2026, President Fernando López Miras launched the Plan Industrial 2026-2035, backed by €1.73 billion in public investment. Its goal: reach 100,000 industrial jobs in Murcia by 2035. Key focus areas include advanced manufacturing and a "Green Hydrogen Valley" in Escombreras. The plan sets a clear direction for where Murcia wants to be in a decade, according to Diario de Ibiza.
On the ground, the Institute of Fomento (INFO) launched the "Info Proyecta IA" program in May 2026. It targets 20 industrial companies and aims to move them from talking about AI to actually using it. INFO Director Joaquín Gómez put it bluntly: "Artificial Intelligence cannot remain an inspiring conversation or a passing fad. It must translate into more capacity to innovate," as Diario Córdoba reported.
Unions Warn AI Gains Must Reach Workers, Not Just Owners
Not everyone shares the optimism. Regional unions UGT and USO welcome the productivity gains — 63% of Spanish companies reported productivity improvements from generative AI as of April 2026 — but warn that workers must share the benefits. USO has demanded that if "one machine does the work of three," the gains must mean shorter workdays without pay cuts, according to La Opinión de A Coruña.
Meanwhile, a global survey found that 55% of workers say they have seen no personal productivity boost from AI, largely because their companies lack a clear strategy. Academic researchers add another layer: University of Murcia experts argue AI is acting as a "leveler," helping lower-performing workers catch up faster than top performers. That changes how companies will need to train and manage staff, as Información noted.
New EU Rules Add Legal Stakes to Every AI Hiring Decision
Companies moving into AI face a new legal reality. The EU AI Act classifies the use of AI in recruitment and talent management as "high risk." Firms that break the rules face fines of up to €35 million or 7% of global turnover — whichever is higher. For Murcia's SMEs, many of which are just starting their digital journey, this adds a layer of compliance complexity they cannot ignore, according to El Correo Gallego.
The broader picture, as Fuertes laid it out at the forum, is one of managed urgency. AI will not eliminate jobs in the short term — the Mercer Latin American Forum 2026 found that 91% of asset managers plan to increase AI use, but only 5% give AI autonomous decision-making power. The near future is augmentation, not replacement. But Murcia must act now to be part of that future, as La Provincia reported.
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