Spanish Prime Minister Calls for Stronger AI Regulation to Protect Citizens
Spain's Approach to Artificial Intelligence Oversight
Prime Minister's Stance on AI Self-Regulation
MADRID, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Artificial intelligence cannot be self-regulated by those who control the technology, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday.
Global Concerns and Government Action
Governments worldwide are racing to set rules for AI as concerns grow over privacy, discrimination, job losses, misinformation and the concentration of computing power among a handful of tech giants.
Spain's AI Regulation Initiatives
Cybersecurity and Defensive Measures
Speaking at an event on AI regulation in Madrid, Sanchez, an outspoken critic of "tech oligarchs", said his government would reinforce its defensive cybersecurity measures to respond to what he described as "aggressive" frontier AI models.
12-Month Roadmap for Responsible AI
He outlined a 12-month roadmap aimed at supporting responsible deployment and economic growth. The plan includes a proposed AI gigafactory as well as new models developed with the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre for climate, health and energy uses.
Environmental and Community Standards
Sanchez said data centres needed to meet high environmental and energy standards while protecting data autonomy and benefiting local communities.
Public Trust and Opportunities
"We must develop this technology not behind citizens' backs ... but in a way that people see it as an opportunity rather than a tool for depleting their scarce resources," he added.
International Context and Industry Response
Sanchez's remarks came days after the heads of leading U.S. AI labs called for a slowdown in the technology's development, warning it could soon improve on its own and slip beyond human control.
(Reporting by Victoria Waldersee; Additional reporting by Benjamín Mejías Valencia; Writing by David Latona; Editing by Andrei Khalip)
