Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a hot topic of conversation right now. This transformative force is reshaping industries across the globe. Spain has emerged as a key player in this technological revolution, aiming to position itself as a leading European hub for AI.
With a determined AI strategy and substantial investments, Spain is laying the groundwork to lead in the rapidly evolving field of AI.
The 2024 Artificial Intelligence Strategy outlines Spain’s plan to fast-track AI development. This strategy is built on three key pillars: strengthening the country’s AI infrastructure, promoting the widespread adoption of AI across sectors, and ensuring that AI development is both ethical and transparent. The Spanish government has already prepared €600 million in AI investments, with focuses on industry, digitalisation and cybersecurity.
Spain’s desire to become Europe’s leading AI hub is supported by its access to supercomputing. The Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC) and the MareNostrum supercomputer are valuable resources. MareNostrum is one of Europe’s top three supercomputers, capable of processing enormous datasets required for AI training and development. By 2025, Spain intends to upgrade MareNostrum even more, boosting its capacity by over 50 per cent and placing it among the top 10 supercomputers in the world.
For locals and expatriates who are working in tech or digital industries, these advancements mean better access to cutting-edge AI technologies and services, as well as more opportunities in AI-related fields.
Spain is expected to have roughly 12 million AI users by 2030, this will be up from approximately five million in 2024. Businesses are expected to employ AI technologies more frequently and by 2030, 75 per cent of businesses are expected to have adopted them, compared to just 10 per cent in 2024.
In 2024, chatbots and virtual assistants, together with content creation, were the primary applications of generative AI in Spanish businesses.
Read more about this data on the Statista website.
One of the pillars of Spain’s AI strategy is an emphasis on ethics and openness. The Spanish Agency for the Supervision of Artificial Intelligence (AESIA), which was founded in 2023, is Europe’s first supervisory organisation. Its goal is to confirm that AI technologies created in Spain follow ethical criteria while protecting civil rights and nurturing transparency in AI applications. This may offer some consolation for those who are a little afraid of what AI is capable of.
Spain still has a long way to go in terms of AI talent development and business implementation. The Spanish government is aware of these challenges and is investing heavily in education and training to ensure that the country can meet the growing demand for AI proficiency.
Whether you’re working in tech, education, or business, Spain’s AI ecosystem is likely to offer new avenues for professional growth and development in the near future.
What are your thoughts on AI? Let us know in the comments below.
