The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service launches the first call for the AI Sandbox for high-risk systems

Madrid, December 20, 2024.- The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service has published the first call for the Sandbox (controlled testing environment) of Artificial Intelligence, fulfilling one of the commitments of the Minister during his appearance in October of this year.

The objective is to provide support and legal certainty when applying the AI Law, facilitating the implementation of the obligations contained in this standard, especially for SMEs and startups that normally have more difficulties to face the costs of putting high-risk AI systems on the market.

Preparation for the application of the regulation

With this Sandbox, the Government of Spain makes available to the innovative Spanish ecosystem a tool to enhance the development of technology responsible and respectful of our rights, which takes advantage of the potentialities of AI to face social and economic challenges.

Entities of all sizes will be able to participate in the call. The result of the experience will be the generation and publication of technical guidelines for the implementation of the requirements applicable to high-risk AI systems.

These guides will be based on evidence and experimentation, as well as good practices and recommendations to encourage innovation and facilitate the implementation of requirements for high-risk systems for companies. In the future, these guides will also serve to influence the development of regulations and standards at European level, having previously prepared our ecosystem.

Development of the call

Participants’ applications must contain a high-risk AI system and may be submitted from December 23, 2024 via the e-site. The date end of the call will be January 23, 2025.

The call will select up to a total of 12 high-risk AI systems. The project will last one year and will be composed of three distinct phases:

1) The first will be a training and consulting phase on the requirements applicable to high-risk AI systems.

2) Next, the changes that must be executed in the AI system will be evaluated in a way that aligns with the obligations of the law.

3) Finally, a compliance verification process will be carried out that will give these AI systems an added value of alignment with the Regulations before they are made available or on the market.

In addition, participating entities will have access to independent experts who will advise them during the adaptation process of high-risk artificial intelligence systems.

High risk What does it mean?

The high risk, as defined by the European Artificial Intelligence Regulation, is the level of all those AI systems that significantly affect the security, health or fundamental rights of European citizens. Examples of such high-risk systems include: credit assessment, law enforcement, border control, administration of justice and democratic processes, and biometric identification, among others.

AI Infoday Sandbox

From the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, a hybrid Infoday will be organized on January 9 where the call will be presented and it will be possible to resolve doubts of the interested participants by the management team of the AI Sandbox. The information about the Infoday will be accessible through the website of the Ministry where the interested parties can register.

Aligned with national and European goals

This initiative is aligned with the intention of Spain to promote the development and use of responsible artificial intelligence within the AI 2024 Strategy to position Spain as a hub of scientific excellence and innovation in AI and to promote the application of AI to solve social and economic challenges in strategic sectors.

Thanks to this controlled testing environment, Spain will be able to support its innovation ecosystem and turn it into a benchmark for the development of responsible and humanist Artificial Intelligence in the EU and in the world.

More information about the call for applications, on the official website of the program within the Ministry: https://avance.digital.gob.es/sandbox-IA/Paginas/sandbox-IA.aspx