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Second Session of “Digital Transformation and AI: The Driving Force of a New Generation of International Businesses”

The second session of “Digital Transformation and AI: The Driving Force of a New Generation of International Businesses” was organized by the Digital and Innovation Committee of the Iran–Spain Joint Chamber of Commerce on Monday, 28 September 2026 (6 Mehr 1405), from 10:00 to 12:00, at the new building of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture.

The session introduced business leaders and executives to practical applications of AI and emerging technologies in management, marketing, market development, exports and organizational productivity. The main presentation was delivered by Dr. Seyed Hossein Mirza Mohammad Hosseini, Head of the Chamber’s Digital and Innovation Committee.

Digital transformation means redesigning the business, not buying technology

Dr. Hosseini stressed that digital transformation should not be reduced to purchasing software or new tools. It is, first and foremost, a redesign of the business. Technology, data and AI create value only when they lead to a redesigned business model, customer experience and operations.

He outlined the main dimensions of transformation:

• Redesigning the business model
• Redesigning the customer experience
• Redesigning operations and processes
• Building data and AI capabilities
• Strengthening technology infrastructure

He added that digital transformation is not a one-off IT project but a continuous path of change and improvement.

The five-stage digital transformation model

The model starts with insight and assessment of the current situation, followed by strategy and roadmap design, design and implementation, and pilot execution and agility. It ends with value creation and sustainable growth. Success depends not only on technology but on three pillars: culture and people, data and technology, and leadership and governance.

Assessing digital maturity

Before launching transformation projects, organizations need a clear picture of where they stand. Areas such as leadership, digital strategy, organizational culture, data and analytics, customer experience, processes, technology and AI are assessed. The assessment shows the gap to the target state and the organization’s real priorities.

A 90-day roadmap and the value of quick wins

Dr. Hosseini presented a 90-day roadmap to turn broad plans into measurable actions. Month one focuses on understanding, analysis and preparation, month two on pilots, and month three on scaling and consolidation. Quick wins matter because visible early results build support among managers and staff and open the way to larger projects.

From traditional to data-driven marketing

Traditional, product-centric marketing relies on one-way mass communication, large and costly campaigns, periodic reports, slow reactions to market changes and decisions based on managers’ experience. Data-driven, customer-centric marketing puts data at the core of decisions. Behavior analysis, finer segmentation, personalization, campaign measurement and faster decisions based on real information give companies a sharper view of customers and markets.

AI through the lens of the AI Index 2026

Dr. Hooman Sepehri, a Chamber member active in fintech and industry, shared findings from Stanford University’s AI Index 2026. He noted that AI is no longer a future topic or limited to big tech; it is quickly entering daily business operations.

• 88% of surveyed organizations reported using AI in 2025.
• 70% had adopted generative AI in at least one business function.
• Population-level adoption of generative AI reached 53% in about three years.
• More than 90% of notable frontier AI models in 2025 were developed by industry.

He also pointed to changes in the labor market and required skills. Organizations need to prepare for shifts in jobs and processes. The real value of AI lies not in access to the technology itself but in integrating it into actual business processes to raise productivity and improve decisions.

A practical example: document management systems

Dr. Sepehri described his company’s experience with a Document Management System (DMS). A DMS moves the recording, classification, storage, search, routing and retrieval of documents from paper-based methods to a structured electronic process. With intelligent features added, it speeds up information search, eases document classification and processing, reduces human error, simplifies access to records and accelerates the flow of information across the organization.

Digital and Innovation Committee, Iran & Spain Joint Chamber of Commerce