Spain's Sanchez calls for government oversight of AI, unveils 12-month plan
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said AI cannot be left to industry self-regulation and announced a year-long strategy to guide its development in Spain.
At an AI regulation event in Madrid, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez argued that the technology's creators cannot be trusted to regulate themselves, labeling them "tech oligarchs." He presented a twelve-month agenda aimed at fostering responsible AI use while spurring economic growth. Key elements feature an AI gigafactory, joint initiatives with the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre targeting climate, health and energy applications, and reinforced cybersecurity defenses against aggressive frontier models.
Sanchez emphasized that data centres must meet rigorous environmental and energy criteria, protect data sovereignty, and deliver advantages to nearby communities. He stressed the need for transparent development so citizens view AI as an opportunity rather than a resource drain. The remarks followed recent calls from leading U.S. AI labs for a slowdown in AI progress.
Why it matters
Government regulation could shape how AI impacts privacy, jobs and the environment in Spain and beyond.
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