• With this contribution, the Executive intends to support global cooperation in Artificial Intelligence governance
• “Today we take another step in Spain’s leadership in the multilateral digital agenda. We do not want to use technology to divide countries, but to multiply opportunities,” said Óscar López.

The Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Service, Óscar López, has today formalized with Amandeep Singh Gill, Assistant Secretary General and Special Envoy of the United Nations for Digital and Emerging Technologies, the voluntary contribution of 3 million euros to the Office of Digital and Emerging Technologies (ODET) of the UN, recently approved by the Council of Ministers, which aims to support global cooperation in the governance of artificial intelligence (AI).

Amandeep Singh Gill thanked “the Government of Spain for its firm commitment and contribution to the efforts of the UN in the field of cooperation in the governance of AI. The contribution will help advance the recommendations made by the Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Body last year in its final report ‘Governance of AI for the benefit of humanity’.” In addition, he stressed that the agreement will strengthen international cooperation to harness the potential of AI for the benefit of people and the planet while ensuring respect for international standards and human rights.”

“Today we take another step in Spain’s leadership in the multilateral digital agenda. In times of geopolitical tension, trade wars and technological oligopolies, we send out a great message: We do not want to use technology to divide countries, but to multiply opportunities,” said Minister Óscar López.

With this signing act, in which the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, María González Veracruz, has also participated, Spain intends to ensure that the responsible innovation model that it is applying for artificial intelligence, has international impact and scope. In fact, this is the most ambitious voluntary contribution any country has ever made to the UN in AI Governance.

Following on from the Spanish Government’s commitment to recovery and reconstruction following DANA, ITTO will establish the division at the headquarters of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) located in Valencia. It will be dedicated to research in the development of AI standards and policies, risk classification, as well as supporting the secretariat of the different initiatives coinciding with the monitoring of the Global Digital Pact over the next two years.

Meeting of the International AI Advisory Council

On the other hand, the Assistant Secretary-General and Special Envoy of the United Nations for Digital and Emerging Technologies, has joined the second meeting of the eleven experts that make up the International Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence convened yesterday and today by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service, with the objective of moving forward in the deployment of technology at the service of people and progress.

In the framework of the meeting of the Council, Amandeep Singh Gill has also met with representatives of the Spanish ecosystem convened by the Ministry, both from the academic field and from the industrial sector and from civil society, who have shared their considerations in the context of the international dialogue promoted by the United Nations in the field of AI Governance.