Spain to use AI to cut out corruption

The Spanish government is to use artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and cut out corruption, part of wider reforms to restore confidence in Spanish public life and combat political "disaffection" among Spaniards.

Spain's Council of Ministers recently approved an initiative to increase transparency in public life by, among other measures, making public "the agendas of senior officials, official travel and accounts of all public entities", as well as what has been described as a "profound transformation" of the public procurement process by incorporating AI for the "automation and advanced analysis" of public data and money.

In the case of public contracts and the tendering process for them, AI analysis will be implemented, something Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez suggests represents "a profound and essential change" to how public money is awarded.

"In public procurement, in order to have better guarantees, we must have better surveillance, and it must be open, intelligent and shared," Sánchez said in his speech at the 9th Global Summit of the Open Government Alliance.

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"This will allow us to detect irregular patterns and possible fraud," Sánchez said during his speech at the 9th Global Summit of the Open Government Alliance.

"Let's be clear, this gives continuity to the state plan for the fight against corruption," he stated, recognising that one of the “setbacks” in democracy is the "disaffection of citizens towards institutions when cases of corruption occur."

Sánchez argued that the government must respond with "courage, ideas and proposals" and not "cover up" corruption, announcing the forthcoming launch of a new government "transparency portal" which will be "much clearer, open, transparent and based on the premise of the right to know, understand and participate."

The Sánchez government has been embroiled in ongoing corruption allegations in the last year. The Prime Minister's wife and brother have been investigated for influence peddling, as well as two of his former right-hand men and his attorney general, who have been investigated for corruption and leaking state secrets, respectively.

Sánchez allies accuse politically-minded judges and journalists of waging 'lawfare' against the Prime Minister's family. Critics argue the confluence of cases means Sánchez has lost legitimacy and must resign.

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The Caso Koldo corruption probe in particular has ensnared two of Sánchez's closest political allies, José Luis Ábalos and Santos Cerdán. With enough evidence for Cerdán, the former Socialist organisational secretary, to be imprisoned, Sánchez is under significant political pressure and the pledges to combat corruption come in response to allegations that there is a culture of corruption at the heart of his government.

The use of AI and creation of a transparency portal form part of the State Plan to Combat Corruption announced over the summer.

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