Madrid, June 12, 2024.- The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function, through its Secretary of State for Digitization and Artificial Intelligence, has completed the process to select the general director of the Spanish Agency for Supervision of Artificial Intelligence (AESIA). Dr. Ignasi Belda has been chosen to lead this pioneering institution in Europe, dedicated to supervising and promoting the national debate on the opportunities and challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
Tal and the rules governing the Agency’s founding statutes, the Governing Council, the governing body of the Agency together with its Presidency, met this morning in a session in which its members agreed to this appointment on the proposal of the Presidency of the AESIA, hosted by the head of the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, Mayte Ledo.
Profile of Ignasi Belda
Dr. Ignasi Belda is a highly qualified professional with a solid academic background and technical experience in artificial intelligence (AI).
In training, he is a Computer Engineer with a doctorate in AI and a second doctorate in technology law, a very suitable condition for this function, taking into account the scope of action of the Agency and the role it will play in supervision within the framework of the European Regulation of Artificial Intelligence. Belda has extensive experience in AI research projects with tangible results and practical applications, especially in biomedicine.
In his long professional experience, his role as general director of the Barcelona Science Park stands out, a public institution dedicated to the promotion of innovation and research, where he successfully led a multidisciplinary team. In 2019 Belda founded MiWEndo Solutions, which has developed a device aimed at improving the detection of malignant polyps that appear in colorectal cancer.
For his academic and professional background, as well as the combination of experience in the private and public spheres, Dr. Belda presents an interdisciplinary experience in science and technology management in the fields of engineering, life sciences, social sciences and humanistic sciences.
Belda is knowledgeable about the Spanish and European system of research and universities and has a wide network of international connections, which will be crucial for the positioning of the agency at national and international level. Awarded with more than 25 awards during his career, the Princess of Girona Award 2014 or the Healthy Longevity Award awarded by the American Medical Association for Innovation of the Year, in 2020, stand out.
In addition, it accredits a number of quality academic publications in subjects such as the ethical challenges presented by Artificial Intelligence, neural networks and mathematics.
Selection process
The selection process, which started the Monday, 8 April and closed the deadline for the submission of candidacies Monday, 9 May, received a total of 106 applications. The candidates came from a wide variety of sectors, including business and academic, showing the high quality of artificial intelligence talent in Spain. To ensure a fair and rigorous selection, a committee of experts was appointed that has advised the president of the AESIA in the evaluation of the candidates.
These experts, with a deep knowledge of the Spanish and international technological ecosystem, have carried out a technical evaluation of a selection of candidates according to criteria such as academic and technical experience in artificial intelligence, management and leadership skills, legal knowledge and ethical perspective, and the network of contacts in the business, institutional and academic spheres.
AESIA – Next steps
The Director-General of the AESIA will assume responsibility for managing and managing the agency, ensuring compliance with the objectives set out in the statutes governing its constitution. Its functions include the design of the Agency’s action strategy, as well as the guarantee of compliance with it, the execution of the budget, the supervision of staff and coordination with the different agents of the sector.
The AESIA, based in A Coruña, will not only focus on supervision, advice, awareness and training in artificial intelligence, but will also promote debates on ethics and security, promoting innovation and technological development.
In the coming weeks, the Director will be responsible for the recruitment processes to complete the Agency’s staff structure and to advance the operationalisation of its activities.
The Spanish Agency for the Supervision of Artificial Intelligence is an essential institution for the deployment of the Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2024, approved on May 14 by the Council of Ministers, especially of its Axis 3: Develop a transparent, responsible and humanistic AI.
With this appointment, the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function reinforces its commitment to ethical and responsible supervision of artificial intelligence, aligned with the needs of Spanish society and technological progress and innovation.