Two years after its inception, Telefónica’s Luca data unit has deployed its AI-based big data solutions into 20 countries while working with more than 150 corporate customers.
Luca’s artificial intelligence and big data solutions have also been deployed to customers outside of its traditional footprint, including a joint venture in China with China Unicom and in Israel with operator Pelephone.
Luca uses artificial intelligence to integrate Telefónica’s entire catalog of consultancy and analytics services, as well as tools and infrastructure as a service, that it offers to companies and various organizations. In addition to its own catalog, Luca also includes joint solutions with other companies in the same sector such as Huawei, Qlick, Hortonworks and Stratio as part of its strategy.
Telefónica kicked off Luca in October 2016 with the goal of using analytics to help drive its customers' digital transformations. Telefónica created Luca as part of its strategy to become a data-driven company.
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“At Telefónica, transformation is synonymous with adaptation and therefore it is very important to take advantage of the benefits provided by the different waves of technology as soon as possible," said Elena Gil Lizasoain, global big data director at Telefónica and CEO of Luca, in a statement. “We believe that our customers value very positively the benefits provided by big data in the management of their businesses and we want to continue accompanying them in taking that leap and help them making even better decisions also based on artificial intelligence."
Luca has also developed several projects related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. As part of those projects, it has collaborated with agencies such as UNICEF or UN Global Pulse in big data initiatives to manage the response to natural disasters or in different environmental projects with the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Last year, Luca launched a sports analytics area focused on data analysis to increase performance in sports by collaborating on projects with the cycling team Movistar Team and the esports team Movistar Riders.