Date Published: 12/03/2025

Spain enforces law for the ethical use of AI

“AI is a very powerful tool that can be used to improve our lives but also to attack democracy,” according to one minister

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a big part of our lives, used in a million different ways each and every day. However, its use can be a double-edged sword, which is why the Spanish government has this week approved a new law that regulates the use of AI, ensuring its ethical and responsible application.

According to Minister for Digital Transformation Óscar López, “AI is a very powerful tool that can be used to improve our lives or undermine democracy; it can be used for good or bad purposes.

“AI can be used to research cancer or Alzheimer's, to prevent natural disasters, to discover new medicines; or it can be used to spread hoaxes and lies, spread hatred and undermine our democracy," he warned. For these very reasons, the “proper use and governance” of AI must be monitored in this country, he added.

The new law, which adapts the Spanish legislation to fall in line with the European Regulation, prohibits certain practices that can cause harm to individuals or society.

These include the use of subliminal techniques to manipulate decisions without consent, exploiting vulnerabilities related to age, disability or socioeconomic status, and biometric classification of individuals by race or political, religious or sexual orientation.

"For example, a children's toy that encourages children to complete challenges that ultimately result in serious injuries. This is also happening,” explained the minister.

The law also prohibits scoring individuals or groups based on social behaviour or personal traits and assessing a person's risk of committing a crime based on personal data.

All of these practices were banned by the Spanish government on February 2 but from August 2, people will receive fines for violating the law.

The penalties for non-compliance with the law range from 7.5 to 35 million euros for businesses, or between 2% and 7% of the global turnover of the previous year, whichever is higher.

High-risk AI systems, such as those used in critical infrastructure, education and employment, must comply with a series of obligations, including transparency, accountability and human oversight. Non-compliance with these obligations can result in serious sanctions, including fines and other measures.

Mr López stressed that the regulations are designed to enhance our enjoyment of artificial intelligence in a responsible way, not restrict it.

“We want to protect digital rights against the negative use of artificial intelligence, and we do so by identifying prohibited practices and high-risk systems,” he concluded.

Also of interest: What are the best and worst towns in Alicante according to AI?

Image: Freepik

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