Marta S. Bret, an expert in innovation and mental health and director of WeMind Cluster, recently participated as a keynote speaker at the Brain Economy Summit during the 79th United Nations General Assembly, held in New York on September 18th. The Brain Economy Summit brings together leaders from academia, government, and business sectors to address the intersection of brain health and modern challenges such as climate change and automation.
Focusing on Brain Skills and AI-Driven Workforce Transformation
Bret joined a panel discussion titled “Brain Skills and the Retraining Revolution to Prepare for an AI-Enhanced Future,” moderated by Rym Ayadi, founder and president of the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA). The session focused on the future of the brain economy, a concept emphasizing the development of cognitive and emotional skills alongside machines, with a special focus on transforming workplaces for optimal human-machine collaboration.
During her address, Bret highlighted the critical need for comprehensive solutions that optimize both mental health and cognitive abilities, enabling businesses and workers to become more resilient in the face of rapid and unstoppable technological changes.
Mental Health Innovation: A Key to Competitiveness and Personal Autonomy
Bret further emphasized how innovations in mental health, aging, and neuroscience can transform business competitiveness and personal autonomy. She called for urgent investment in cognitive and emotional skills to prepare societies for a future driven by artificial intelligence.
“Innovation, mental health, well-being, and cognition are pillars upon which economies must base their resilience, ensuring long-term productivity and sustainability,” Bret affirmed.
Presentation of the Yaoundé Declaration on Brain Economy, Brain Health, and Brain Capital
This year’s UN General Assembly also featured the presentation of the Yaoundé Declaration on Brain Economy, Brain Health, and Brain Capital. This document acknowledges the importance of brain capital in critical areas like digital transitions, population aging, and its impact on sectors such as clean energy and construction. The declaration was a product of the event “Brain Health is Essential for Smooth Economic Transitions – Toward Socio-Economic Sustainability, Productivity, and Wellbeing,” organized by EMEA, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, and the Brain Capital Alliance, where Bret also contributed as a speaker.
Spain’s Role in Shaping a New Economic and Social Paradigm
Marta S. Bret’s participation underscores the international significance of Spanish professionals in shaping a new economic and social paradigm, where mental health and brain capital are at the heart of innovation and global competitiveness.