The Community of Madrid will establish a Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technologies to manage the region's AI infrastructure. The new center, to be located at the Digitaliza Madrid Innovation Center, will bring together experts and professionals to enhance the efficiency and security of the regional government's technology projects.
This facility will handle both specialized and quantum computing, and will support universities and innovation initiatives with generative AI tools and virtual assistants to automate administrative tasks such as drafting documents or preparing presentations. The Ministry of Digitalization anticipates these solutions will reduce administrative workload, allowing resources to be redirected to higher value-added activities.
It will feature the first sovereign cloud for artificial intelligence within an autonomous community, ensuring control, security, and regulatory compliance in processing public administration data and AI models. This infrastructure aims to align the regional strategy with European regulations and the upcoming Digital Administration and Artificial Intelligence Law, positioning Madrid prominently in a key sector driven by technological sovereignty and computing power.
Furthermore, the Madrid government will acquire a quantum computer for the Polytechnic University of Madrid, intended for universities, research centers, and companies, to attract investment and foster research and specialized employment. Minister Miguel López-Valverde highlighted that this technology will establish the Community of Madrid as a national leader in advanced computing, emphasizing the crucial role of human capital and continuous training.
The region already boasts over 85,000 citizens trained in AI, with an additional 170,000 public employees currently undergoing training. These figures underscore the digital leadership of the Community of Madrid, which has 354,596 affiliates in high-tech sectors (37.1% of the national total) and 19,933 technology companies (25.5% of the national total), with a 69% increase in AI adoption by companies with ten or more employees in just one year.
The minister stressed that leading digitalization involves strategic decision-making and foresight to tangibly improve citizens' lives, boost businesses, and strengthen administrative capabilities. He cited examples such as the institutional portal featuring the AI avatar “Sol” and the Digital Account, which has facilitated millions of procedures and optimized administrative processes using robots, significantly reducing management time and documentation requirements.
Artificial intelligence is now an operational tool within the administration, with nearly 200 use cases in the Community of Madrid, 102 of which are currently active. Healthcare accounts for 76 cases, demonstrating AI's potential to improve diagnoses and enhance care quality. Applications are also extending to justice, housing, transportation, and environmental sectors.
Additionally, Spain's bid to host one of the European Union's future AI gigafactories was mentioned, with Iron Mountain Data Centers' Processing Center in San Fernando de Henares selected as part of the candidacy. The region currently has 34 operational data centers and between 15 and 16 more under construction, aiming to attract investment and opportunities for the technology sector.
