Madrid Manifesto for Responsible AI calls for democratic oversight

The International Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence has presented the ‘Madrid Manifesto for Responsible AI’. The document, presented by Council President Manuel Castells and digital policy expert Francesca Bria, advocates for democratic control over technology, digital sovereignty, and the rejection of self-regulation by large multinational corporations.

The manifesto is organized into four blocks containing twenty-five principles. It addresses the impact of AI on power concentration, labor, and human rights, arguing that democracies must play a legitimate role in the governance and supervision of AI to ensure benefits are shared globally and aligned with democratic values. Minister of Digital Transformation Óscar López noted that the council's work serves as a reference model for global debates on technopolitics.

The advisory group included international experts from fields such as ethics, economics, and sociology. While the manifesto calls for companies to be held responsible for damages caused by their systems, it does not currently establish specific enforcement mechanisms or a formal implementation calendar.