AI, Europe, Spain and the Regulation–Innovation Dilemma
Keywords:
Artificial intelligence (AI), general-purpose technology, European Union (EU), digital regulation, AI Act, innovation, competitiveness, digital advancement, technological sovereignty, strategic autonomy, United States, China, European Commission, Spain, digital leadership, geopolitics, geoeconomics, defense.Abstract
Artificial intelligence is considered a “general-purpose technology”, akin to electricity or the Internet. Given its risks, the entire world is moving toward its regulation. The European model is particularly significant, as it aspires to become a global paradigm (as occurred with the European regulation of other digital technologies). This article aims to explain Europe’s struggle in narrowing the gap with the digital and AI hegemonic leaders—namely the United States and China—based on the regulatory model it has been pursuing. While tackling possible alternatives in the regulatory sphere, the paper outlines the measures being adopted by the EU under the mandate of the Commission that began in the fall of 2024. It concludes by describing Spain’s specific situation in these fields, while also proposing initiatives to address its weaknesses in innovation.
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