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Madrid University Forum Highlights AIs Role in Marketing Strategy and Consumer Insight
On 20 June 2026, the Autonomous University of Madrid Foundation (FUAM) brought together academics, industry leaders and policy makers at its Cantoblanco campus for a marketing‑centric forum, TertulIA_UAM. The event, organised in partnership with Madrid Network and supported by the Community of Madrid and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), focused on how artificial intelligence is reshaping marketing strategy, data analysis and consumer relationships.
The forum opened with a speech by Rocío Schettini, Director General of the UAM Foundation. Schettini underscored the foundation’s role in fostering dialogue between academia and business, noting that the Community of Madrid’s backing enables the university to explore AI’s impact across knowledge areas and on future professionals.
Gema Sanz, Director of Institutional Relations at Madrid Network, moderated the discussion and framed the central question: “Artificial Intelligence is already changing how companies analyse data, segment audiences and make decisions. The question is whether it will also help us understand people better.” Her remarks highlighted Madrid Network’s mission to unite university research with commercial practice.
Luis Martín Pérez, Director of AI Solutions for communication and marketing at LLYC, delivered the keynote. He described AI as the “main prescriber” in marketing today and warned that conversational models are replacing traditional websites as traffic sources. Pérez stressed, “if AI doesn’t read you, if AI doesn’t discover you, you don’t exist.” During the panel he clarified that AI should be viewed as a tool rather than a magic solution, noting that it amplifies existing brand narratives and rewards homogeneity while penalising dispersion.
Academic voices joined the conversation. Professor Jaime Romero of UAM presented studies indicating that AI can increase customer acquisition and satisfaction, but cautioned against hyper‑segmentation, which could make consumers feel “attacked.” Professor Natalia Rubio added that the meaning of a brand must be built by the brand itself and that AI should enhance human skills rather than replace them.
Raúl Calleja, Events General Manager at SHOW2BE, summed up the business implications: “It either sells or helps us sell.” He emphasized the need for “great human judgment and senior experience” to validate AI outputs.
The event concluded with Sanz’s reflection that talent remains the core asset, while AI acts as a “vitamin supplement.” The forum demonstrated that, while AI offers powerful tools for data analysis and customer engagement, its effectiveness depends on strategic integration, human oversight and ethical considerations.
Overall, TertulIA_UAM illustrated how AI is becoming a central component of marketing strategy in Spain. The collaboration between FUAM, Madrid Network, the Community of Madrid and FEDER highlights a coordinated effort to explore AI’s benefits and challenges. The discussion points to a future where AI supports, rather than replaces, human expertise in shaping brand narratives, segmenting audiences responsibly, and enhancing customer acquisition.
The event’s outcomes suggest that organisations will need to balance AI capabilities with human judgment, maintain brand coherence, and address ethical concerns around hyper‑segmentation. As AI continues to evolve, the partnership between academia and industry in Madrid may serve as a model for other regions seeking to harness AI responsibly in marketing and beyond.
The forum opened with a speech by Rocío Schettini, Director General of the UAM Foundation. Schettini underscored the foundation’s role in fostering dialogue between academia and business, noting that the Community of Madrid’s backing enables the university to explore AI’s impact across knowledge areas and on future professionals.
Gema Sanz, Director of Institutional Relations at Madrid Network, moderated the discussion and framed the central question: “Artificial Intelligence is already changing how companies analyse data, segment audiences and make decisions. The question is whether it will also help us understand people better.” Her remarks highlighted Madrid Network’s mission to unite university research with commercial practice.
Luis Martín Pérez, Director of AI Solutions for communication and marketing at LLYC, delivered the keynote. He described AI as the “main prescriber” in marketing today and warned that conversational models are replacing traditional websites as traffic sources. Pérez stressed, “if AI doesn’t read you, if AI doesn’t discover you, you don’t exist.” During the panel he clarified that AI should be viewed as a tool rather than a magic solution, noting that it amplifies existing brand narratives and rewards homogeneity while penalising dispersion.
Academic voices joined the conversation. Professor Jaime Romero of UAM presented studies indicating that AI can increase customer acquisition and satisfaction, but cautioned against hyper‑segmentation, which could make consumers feel “attacked.” Professor Natalia Rubio added that the meaning of a brand must be built by the brand itself and that AI should enhance human skills rather than replace them.
Raúl Calleja, Events General Manager at SHOW2BE, summed up the business implications: “It either sells or helps us sell.” He emphasized the need for “great human judgment and senior experience” to validate AI outputs.
The event concluded with Sanz’s reflection that talent remains the core asset, while AI acts as a “vitamin supplement.” The forum demonstrated that, while AI offers powerful tools for data analysis and customer engagement, its effectiveness depends on strategic integration, human oversight and ethical considerations.
Overall, TertulIA_UAM illustrated how AI is becoming a central component of marketing strategy in Spain. The collaboration between FUAM, Madrid Network, the Community of Madrid and FEDER highlights a coordinated effort to explore AI’s benefits and challenges. The discussion points to a future where AI supports, rather than replaces, human expertise in shaping brand narratives, segmenting audiences responsibly, and enhancing customer acquisition.
The event’s outcomes suggest that organisations will need to balance AI capabilities with human judgment, maintain brand coherence, and address ethical concerns around hyper‑segmentation. As AI continues to evolve, the partnership between academia and industry in Madrid may serve as a model for other regions seeking to harness AI responsibly in marketing and beyond.
