On 11 March 2025, the Spanish Government approved the Preliminary Draft Law for the Good Use and Governance of Artificial Intelligence. This initiative seeks to ensure ethical, inclusive and beneficial use of AI, in line with the European AI Regulation. The key objective is to curb "deepfakes" (fake news) and so heavy fines will be imposed on companies that use contents generated by artificial intelligence (IA), without tag them as such.
Mandatory labelling or sanctions millions
One of the most prominent measures in this draft bill is the obligation to clearly label any content generated or manipulated by AI. This provision aims to enable users to distinguish unequivocally between real content and artificially created content, directly addressing the phenomenon of "deepfakes". Failure to comply with this obligation will be considered a serious infringement and can lead to fines of up to €35 million or 7% of the offending company's annual turnover.
Prohibited practices and high-risk systems
The draft also provides for the prohibition of certain AI-related practices that may be detrimental to society. These include the use of subliminal techniques to manipulate decisions, the exploitation of vulnerabilities of specific groups due to age, disability or socio-economic status, and the classification of individuals based on biometric data to confer benefits or assess risks. In addition, AI systems considered high-risk are identified and regulated, imposing strict requirements for their development and use.
Monitoring and enforcement
The Spanish Agency for the Supervision of Artificial Intelligence (AESIA), based in A Coruña, will be in charge of supervising the correct application of this regulation. The AESIA will have the capacity to impose sanctions from August 2025, although its director, Ignasi Belda, has stated that it will prioritise the use of warnings before resorting to fines, considering that sanctions should be a dissuasive element and not merely a means of collection.
With the approval of this draft bill, Spain is at the forefront in the regulation of artificial intelligence, seeking to balance technological innovation with the protection of the fundamental rights and security of its citizens.
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