BAIC (Basque Artificial Intelligence Center), the Basque Center for Artificial Intelligence, has been set up by 17 organizations to guide and promote the development of Artificial Intelligence in the Basque Country and, in this way, "improve the competitiveness of companies and the well-being of Basque society". The President, together with Minister Arantxa Tapia, attended the formation of the association this morning at the Alava Technology Park in Miñano.

BAIC is a public-private partnership space aimed at promoting artificial intelligence (AA) in the Basque Country. Basically, it is a tool for the industry to incorporate AA as quickly as possible, as well as a laboratory that will be useful for experimentation and accelerating projects that will help us achieve international positioning in one of the world’s greatest technological and social challenges.

The organizations that have promoted BAIC are: CAF, Deusto Seidor, Euskaltel, Gestamp, Hupi Ibérica, Iberdrola, Inzu Group, ITP Aero, Mondragon Corporation, Oncology, Petronor, Sener and Versia. The promoters also include scientific-technological agents and training centers. such as Tecnalia, Vicomtech and the Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (BCAM). The SPRI Group represents the public sector on behalf of the Basque Government's Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment.

The objectives of the new association are:

1. Promoting the development of Artificial Intelligence in the Basque Country.
2. Articulation of the Basque Artificial Intelligence ecosystem (companies, technology and research centers, training centers, etc.).
3. Encourage the creation of new companies in the Artificial Intelligence sector, involving local traction companies.
4. Facilitate the promotion of talent in the field of Artificial Intelligence in collaboration with training centers in the Basque Country, promoting advanced training in this field and, in this way, promoting, developing, retaining and attracting talent.
5. Promoting synergies in the field of Artificial Intelligence between the different scientific and technological capabilities of the Basque Country.
6. International expansion of the Basque Country's offer in the Artificial Intelligence sector to attract foreign talent, companies and investment, and to connect and project companies with international networks and markets.
7. Analyze and appreciate the ethical implications of technological advances in Artificial Intelligence.

To fulfill its mission, BAIC will address different areas of activity, and by combining these areas of activity together it will be possible to build comprehensive solutions to the complex challenges posed by AA. These areas of activity are:

• Identify, strengthen and coordinate existing skills.
• Encourage, develop, retain and attract talent.
• Connect and project companies with international networks and markets.
• Encourage new AA companies.
• Develop special pilot projects in the territory.
• Create future lines of work for administrations and companies.
• BAIC's activity is based on nine axes, which include the specific efforts that must be made to promote AA as a lever for transformation for the economic and social agents of the Basque Country.