Spain overhauls AI funding plan following widespread criticism

May 4, 2025

The Ministry of Science of Spain has presented a new proposal to fund artificial intelligence (AI) research projects after cancelling the previous plan without explanations. The Minister of Science and Universities, Diana Morant, reveals the new AI initiative has a 36 million euro budget, five million more than the previous initiative. According to the updated AI grants plan, new proposals must be presented with at least one other centre, with each centre receiving financing directly. There will be no limit to proposals per centre. The duration of the projects will change from two to three or four years, and the maximum amount will remain at 2 million for each one.

Authorities have revealed that the entity that will manage the AI funds this time will be the State Research Agency. This call will not be linked to European funds, which “will facilitate a more flexible execution”, according to the Ministry. The new call will open in May, so all the details are not yet public. The AI aid is open both to public and private centres that have R&D activity and are not for profit.

Will scientists be forced to redo their proposals?

The changes made to the AI plan will oblige scientists to redo at least part of their proposals, which they had to improvise in the summer of 2023. However, they will be able to recycle some parts. “The same priority thematic areas and objectives are maintained, which will allow applicants from the previous call to make use of the work already carried out”, Morant underscores.

However, there will also be no privilege for the AI projects from the previous call. The Government will not make public who won that call. After the controversy due to the cancellation by the Government in 2024, the Government announced that there would be a new proposal. The scientific community never fully understood the reasons for the suppression of the previous AI project. Morant attributed it in February basically to delays inherent to the public administration, which complicated meeting deadlines.

Spain overhauls AI funding plan following widespread criticism — AI funding plan – Pexels

“There have been certain internal problems that have not allowed us to resolve this AI call when we would have liked”, Morant admits, who linked the problem to the NextGen European funds. “The delay made the call practically useless because the results could not be given within the recovery plan. It was no longer worth it, it could not be executed if we did it in November,” she explains.

Attracting talent through ATRAE

Morant has also announced the third call of the ATRAE Programme, endowed with 45 million euros, 15 million more than in the previous call. It is a plan that “was initiated in 2023 to attract new scientists or to bring back scientists from our country who are international leaders so that they may develop their projects in Spain”, Morant says.

The objective of ATRAE, whose endowment in this call comes from the national budget and not from European funds, is to facilitate the incorporation of consolidated research talent of international prestige. “It has a very special focus on researchers in the USA who are being disregarded by the administration”, Morant highlights. In the last call, Morant explained that 420 applications were received from researchers, and 60 were selected.