Spain’s new AI agency is designed to steer the development of the technology while anticipating requirements of future EU regulation
Creation of a new department
Spain’s Council of Ministers has approved a Royal Decree validating the formation of the Spanish Agency for the Supervision of AI (AESIA). The new body is the result of the joint work of the Ministry of Finance and Civil Service and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, but it will sit within the latter. AESIA will be multidisciplinary, featuring technology experts and lawyers, and will fall within the remit of the Secretary of State for Digitisation and AI. Carme Artigas assumed this post in January 2020 and is responsible for promoting the digital transformation of Spain’s society and economy.
AI is seen as key to the country’s digital agenda
Spain’s National AI Strategy (ENIA), released in December 2020, is a priority for the Government’s 2026 Digital Agenda and aims to provide a reference framework to enable the technology to develop in an "inclusive, sustainable and citizen-centred" way. ENIA is also a key part of the country’s recovery and resilience plan, which will dedicate 28% of the total €69.5bn (£59.4bn) towards digital initiatives and seeks to position Spain as a leader in AI. AESIA will be responsible for the development, supervision and monitoring of projects within the framework of the ENIA. Although its resources have not yet been announced, duties are likely to include creating risk assessment protocols and auditing algorithms.
The first Member State to have a dedicated AI body
With the creation of AESIA, Spain becomes the first European country to have a government department dedicated to AI. The move anticipates the entry into force of the EU’s AI Act (currently in the trilogue phase), which is expected to require each Member State to establish a 'national supervisory authority' that would be responsible for overseeing application of the regulation. Given the considerable potential of AI, discussions around the need for agencies to nurture the technology are taking place in other countries, e.g. India. In the US, some stakeholders (including politicians and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman) have recommended governing AI at the federal level, although this currently appears some way off, with interventions to date relying on voluntary commitments.
