The City Council of Barcelona has committed €9.4 million over the next three years to implement a comprehensive strategy for the ethical and sustainable adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in public administration and citizen services. The move aims to cement the Catalan capital’s position as a European leader in responsible technological innovation.

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Mayor Jaume Collboni announced the investment on Tuesday. It seeks to accelerate AI integration within the council’s internal processes and support its use across the city’s wider business ecosystem, particularly among freelancers, start-ups, and SMEs. This initiative, importantly, builds on pioneering measures established in April 2021, more than a year before ChatGPT brought generative AI into the mainstream.

“Barcelona is a city that has always been associated with technological innovation… but not just any kind of innovation; it must be purposeful and inspired by values,” Mayor Collboni stated, according to reports in El Periódico. He further added, “The way we adopt technology will shape the society of the future.” He then stressed the desire to “recover our position of technological leadership so that it has a positive impact on the economy and citizens.”

A Six-Pillar Strategy

The plan, named the ‘Strategy for the ethical, democratic and sustainable adoption of AI’, is structured around six key pillars and includes 37 specific actions to be rolled out between 2026 and 2028. A newly created municipal AI office will oversee its implementation.

Key actions include:

  • Training Programmes: The council will develop AI training for its civil servants; this programme will also be offered to the general public. This focus on staff development comes as the council continues to invest in its workforce, having recently spent €106k on a staff culture survey.
  • Transparency and Rights: In a bid to build public trust, the administration will publish all data related to the algorithmic systems it deploys. Furthermore, it will establish a ‘catalogue of digital rights’, guaranteeing citizens rights such as human oversight of automated decisions, non-discrimination, and the right to understand how an AI-driven decision was made.
  • Sustainability Metrics: The council will create a system to measure the environmental impact of AI programmes, including their energy, water, and climate footprints.
  • Practical Services: Potential applications include an AI assistant to answer queries on housing legislation, tools to streamline administrative procedures, and simultaneous translation services for social care.

The investment is part of a broader vision of strategic urban planning, which has also seen the city announce other major projects, including a €9m plan for bridge and park restoration.

Closing the Gap with Tech Capitals

The city will disburse the €9.4 million over three years: €2.4 million in 2026, €3.9 million in 2027, and €3.1 million in 2028. This allocation will raise the city’s budget for cutting-edge technology to 3.1%, up from 1.9% in 2021. Ultimately, this increase brings Barcelona closer to the spending levels of global innovation hubs like London and Seattle, which dedicate approximately 4% of their budgets to technology.

Emili Rubió, manager of the Municipal Institute for Innovation and Technology (BIT), highlighted the commitment to openness. According to La Vanguardia, he confirmed that the council will publish data on all its algorithmic systems to ensure citizens can scrutinise them.

The city’s emphasis on a strong ethical framework mirrors broader European efforts, such as the EU’s guidelines for trustworthy AI. Furthermore, it comes amid local debates on public-facing ethics, such as the criticism directed at the Barcelona Gaming Fair.

Cautious Optimism from Experts

Experts in the field have welcomed the strategy. Cristian Canton, associate director of the Barcelona Supercomputing centre (BSC-CNS), praised the city’s potential, stating, “Barcelona has everything it needs to lead the responsible adoption of AI; it has a great future as a city.”

However, Canton also urged a measured approach, particularly given the rapid advancements in generative AI. He cautioned that deployment requires careful handling, warning, “it is dangerous to run before you learn to walk.”

With this significant investment, Barcelona is not just adopting a new technology but is actively seeking to define the terms of its use, balancing innovation with a firm commitment to democratic values, transparency, and sustainability.