In this episode of Built in Barcelona, Kris sits down with Rakan Sleiman, General Manager at UNITH—an AI company pioneering digital humans that are transforming how businesses engage with customers.

They dive into:

• The real-world applications of conversational AI

• The future of digital humans in business

• Rakan’s journey from London to Girona—and what it's like to raise a family in Catalonia

• Rakan's experience of growing a tech team in Barcelona, and how the AI talent pool is evolving here

• The opportunities and challenges of ethical AI implementation

• Rakan also shares what he believes people get wrong about AI, and they chat about the joys of being married into a Catalan family.

💭 Quote to remember:

"I think it's important that people just remind themselves that AI is not magic. The reality is a lot of hard work goes behind the scenes to make it look and feel the way that it actually looks and feels."

Whether you're curious about the future of human-computer interaction, hiring in Barcelona’s AI scene, or just want some local food recommendations—this episode has something for you.

Connect with Rakan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rakansleiman/

Website: https://www.unith.ai/

💎 Hidden Gem Recommendations:

• Girona: Zanpanzar, Basque tapas in the heart of Girona https://g.co/kgs/VBgUsYb

• Barcelona: Zia Carolina, hidden pizza spot in Poblenou https://g.co/kgs/wDhwm1Q