Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Monday that artificial intelligence "cannot be self-regulated" by those who control the technology, calling for rules to ensure its responsible development and use, and not to leave its future to companies with the greatest technical and computing capabilities.
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Sanchez's remarks came during an event in Madrid dedicated to showcasing his government's new artificial intelligence plan, at a time of growing concerns about privacy, misinformation, job losses, and the concentration of computing and technological power in the hands of a limited number of large technology companies. He said his government would strengthen its cybersecurity defense capabilities to counter what he described as aggressive and advanced AI models.
The Prime Minister didn't just call for regulation; he also announced the AI 360 Plan for the responsible deployment of artificial intelligence, a 12-month roadmap aimed at combining the expansion of the technology's use with enhanced security and the protection of citizens. The Spanish government also intends to involve unions, employers, and other social partners in a process leading to a national agreement on AI.
This move reflects an approach that combines regulating technology and building local capabilities to develop it, rather than treating artificial intelligence as an area where Spain merely consumes the products of foreign companies.
Data centers... Resource management
The Spanish debate extends to the infrastructure behind artificial intelligence systems. Sanchez stressed the need for data centers to adhere to high standards in environmental protection and energy efficiency, while ensuring that local communities benefit from these facilities.
He also called for maintaining control over the data cycle, including how it is collected, stored, used and shared, indicating that AI governance is not only about models and algorithms, but also about the data and resources needed to run them.
Security and Governance
The plan also focuses on cybersecurity and oversight of advanced artificial intelligence systems, given their increasing capacity to perform complex tasks. These measures coincide with an international debate about the risks posed by more advanced systems and the limits of human control over them.
Madrid’s regulatory efforts do not begin with the AI 360 plan. Last May, the Spanish government approved a draft basic law for the rational use and governance of artificial intelligence and referred it to parliament. The draft adapts Spanish legislation to European AI law and sets out a framework for oversight, penalties, and the distribution of supervisory responsibilities.
The project mandates the principle of human oversight of artificial intelligence models and identifies competent oversight bodies, including the AI Oversight Agency, along with other bodies depending on the sector, such as the Spanish Data Protection Agency in data-related matters.
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