Madrid, June 21, 2024 - The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service has constituted the International Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence, which brings together leading international experts in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, to advise the Ministry on the key aspects in the development and future of this technology, as well as the potential trends, challenges and opportunities it entails.

The Council is set in motion at a time when Spain is intensifying the boost to its capabilities, with the aim of developing an ethical, human-centred and rights-oriented AI, as reflected in the AI Strategy approved on 14 May. In addition, the first meeting of the Council also coincides with the implementation of the activities of the Spanish Agency for AI Supervision (AESIA), which will have a fundamental role in supervising high-risk AI systems and promoting the understanding and responsible use of this technology in Spanish society and economy. Whose CEO was appointed last week.

At the meeting of the Council held in person in Madrid on 20 and 21 June, various issues related to the deployment of AI in Spain have been discussed and deepened; among them, the role that the public sector must play in the development and deployment of Artificial Intelligence, analyzing possible new forms of public-private collaboration. The different dimensions of AI in the context of political polarisation and risks for liberal democracies have also been examined.

One of the working sessions has been devoted to the importance of data used in AI models and systems, and in particular, how to combine the use of data with the protection of rights and privacy. Another focus of the meeting was the analysis of risks, both macroeconomic in the labour market and technical risks that AI can involve. The ultimate goal is to maximize the benefits of AI, minimizing its potential uncertainties.

In addition, the members of the Council held a meeting with President Pedro Sánchez at the Palacio de la Moncloa in which the strategic priorities of Spain in this matter have been addressed.

The members of the International Advisory Council of AI, are:

● Manuel Castells, Chair of the Board: Professor of Communication Technology and Society at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley.
● Paul S. Adler: Professor of Management and Organization, Sociology and Environmental Studies at the University of Southern California and expert in organizational structure theory.
● Francesca Bria: Honorary Professor at the Institute of Innovation and Public Purpose of the University of London and former President of the Italian National Innovation Fund. Expert in innovation and digital policies.
● Vint Cerf: Considered the “father” of the Internet and awarded multiple prizes, including the National Medal of Technology and the Turing Prize.
● Kate Crawford: Senior Research Fellow at Microsoft Research and Research Professor at USC Annenberg, expert on the social and political implications of AI.
● Jerome A. Feldman: Emeritus Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley and leader in Computer Engineering and Cognitive Science.
● Luciano Floridi: Director of the Center for Digital Ethics and Professor in the Cognitive Sciences Program of Yale University. Expert in artificial intelligence ethics.
● Jeroen van den Hoven: Professor of Ethics and Technology at Delft University of Technology and Scientific Director of Delft Design for Values Institute.
● Carissa Véliz: Associate Professor at Oxford University’s Institute of AI Ethics, author of “Privacy is Power” (book of the year for The Economist).
● Erika Staël Von Holstein: Executive director of the independent think tank “Reimagining Europe” based in Brussels and expert in AI and political polarization.
● Niklas Lundblad: Expert in technology policy and responsible technologies, and global manager at Google, with more than 20 years of experience in analysis and debate on technology policy.

With this initiative, Spain reaffirms its commitment to the development of an AI that promotes productivity in various economic sectors and addresses social and economic challenges in an ethical and responsible manner.