Dublin, special correspondent. On the sidelines of the first summit that brings together the heads of State and Government of the European Union to address advances in artificial intelligence, Spain argues for a “people-centered” technological deployment, but also for greater industrial autonomy to prevent the continent from depending on foreign providers. Moncloa calls on European partners to strengthen their own capabilities in artificial intelligence models and computing. A statement in which the Twenty-Seven aspire to give the final push to a strategy to regain ground in the technological race and move toward European digital sovereignty.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, will not be present in the meeting room when European leaders address an issue that, in the words of the organizers, “is part of the day-to-day lives of all citizens.” His absence is due to the incompatibility with the electoral calendar of 29-N. However, Spanish diplomatic sources consulted by DEMÓCRATA argue for reducing Europe’s dependence on foreign artificial intelligence providers as one of the key points of the debate that is opening in Dublin.
Spain’s position involves strengthening the continent’s technological capabilities and preventing the development of this industry from being conditioned by companies outside the European market. To do so, Madrid considers it necessary to promote both its own models and the computing infrastructures that make it possible to train and deploy them. The aim is for Europe not to have to systematically turn to external providers to access technologies that will be decisive for its economic competitiveness.
More investment and an AI that reaches SMEs
The same sources raise the need, in line with what was requested by the President of the European Council, António Costa, to redouble the commitment to public-private collaboration in order to guarantee a greater investment effort. The Spanish Executive cites initiatives such as the Sociedad Española para la Transformación Tecnológica (SETT) and the development of ALIA as references.
"We must not focus only on developing advanced models, but especially on extending their application to the entire economy," they justify from the Spanish delegation. The strategy involves preventing artificial intelligence from being confined to a small group of large technology companies and ensuring that its applications reach the whole of the productive fabric.
In practice, this means extending its use to small and medium-sized enterprises, industry, and public administrations. Madrid considers that technological sovereignty cannot be measured exclusively by the ability to develop its own models, but also by the possibility of incorporating them into economic processes and public services. European digital autonomy needs its own technology, but also an economy capable of using it.
The commitment to public and private investment is intended precisely to cover that dual dimension. On the one hand, developing capabilities that allow competing in the international market for artificial intelligence; on the other, enabling companies and administrations to incorporate these tools without necessarily depending on external solutions.
Competitiveness without lowering regulatory guarantees
Spain’s position also includes a warning about the regulatory framework. In the debates that are now opening, Sánchez’s environment advocates for fully applying the European regulation already approved, in particular the Artificial Intelligence Regulation. In the view of the Executive, the continent has sufficient instruments to supervise the most advanced models without needing to give up the guarantees that have characterized its approach to these technologies.
"It already provides sufficient instruments to supervise and control the most advanced models," the sources consulted by DEMÓCRATA defend. A position that places Madrid in favor of maintaining the balance between industrial momentum and the protection of citizens, at a time when different European voices are calling for reviewing priorities to accelerate technological competitiveness.
In line with what the community negotiating teams have been defending in previous debates, the Spanish delegation insists that “competitiveness and regulation are complementary objectives.” The Executive does not consider that the development of a European artificial intelligence industry should involve lowering regulatory standards, but rather taking advantage of them as part of its own technological model.
This approach also explains Spanish insistence on an artificial intelligence “centered on people,” that protects fundamental rights, with special attention to minors, and preserves “democratic integrity.” These are guarantees that Madrid wants to keep at the center of the European strategy, especially in the face of the risks that these tools may pose to the dissemination of content, public debate, and electoral processes.
The Dublin summit thus opens a discussion in which Spain wants to combine two priorities: reducing dependence on external technology and ensuring that the race for competitiveness does not end up weakening the European model for protection of rights. For Madrid, the challenge does not consist only in Europe managing to develop its own models, but in being able to finance its capabilities, extend their use across the whole of the economy, and maintain control over the conditions under which they are deployed.