17 entities have formed the BAIC Association (Basque Artificial Intelligence Center), the Basque Artificial Intelligence Center.
It was created with the aim of leading and promoting the development of Artificial Intelligence in the Basque Country.
BCAM is among the collaborating entities
The BAIC Association, Basque Artificial Intelligence, was created with the aim of leading and promoting the development of Artificial Intelligence in the Basque Country "to improve business competitiveness and the wellbeing of Basque society".
BAIC was created to be a space for public-private collaboration to promote Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Basque Country, an instrument for its rapid adoption by industry, while serving as a laboratory for experimentation and acceleration of projects that serve as an international positioning in one of the greatest technological and social challenges.
The promoters are CAF, Deusto Seidor, Euskaltel, Gestamp, Hupi Ibérica, Iberdrola, Inzu Group, ITP Aero, Mondragon Corporación, Onkologikoa, Petronor, Sener, and Versia; scientific-technological agents and training centres, including Tecnalia, Vicomtech and the Basque Center for Applied Mathematics - BCAM. Public collaboration is provided by the SPRI Group on behalf of the Basque Government's Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment.
The aims of this partnership begin by promoting the development of Artificial Intelligence in the Basque Country and articulating the Basque Artificial Intelligence ecosystem. In addition, the creation of new companies in the Artificial Intelligence sector will be encouraged, involving local driving companies, and the promotion of AI talent will be favoured in collaboration with Basque Training Centres, promoting advanced training in this field, which will allow talent to be promoted, developed, retained and attracted. It also aims to promote synergies between the various scientific and technological capacities existing in the Basque Country in the field of AI. Another of its objectives is to disseminate the Basque Country's offer in this field internationally in order to attract talent, companies and foreign investment, connecting and projecting companies with international networks and markets. Finally, to analyse and take into account the ethical repercussions of technological advances in Artificial Intelligence.
The BAIC's action is based on nine axes that bring together the specific efforts to be made to promote AI as a lever for real transformation for all economic and social agents in the Basque Country. These axes focus on specific commitments to build a rich, diversified and innovative business fabric, a specialised scientific-technological ecosystem, a renewed public administration and a modern society that can take advantage of the opportunities offered by AI. These Axes are:
- Creation and reinforcement of the Basque Country's R&D capabilities in AI.
- Creation of a local community of experts and generation and attraction of talent.
- Transfer of AI to both Basque driving companies and SMEs.
- Development of new AI-related business models
- Raising awareness of the concepts of AI and lifelong learning
- Development of AI use cases aimed at different areas of the Administration.
- Contribution to the Basque Data Strategy
- Incorporation of ethical and legal aspects in all initiatives
- Positioning and participation in international networks
