Spain’s IA360 Plan, a new roadmap designed to accelerate the development and adoption of artificial intelligence during 2026 and 2027. On paper, it includes some eye-catching projects: a potential AI gigafactory, a €600 million business AI voucher, a network where SMEs could test AI solutions, changes to education and even an AI assistant inside Spain’s Mi Carpeta Ciudadana public services platform.
But these measures will not all arrive at the same time, and many of them are not available today. Some projects already have funding or defined milestones, while others still require regulations, calls for applications or further implementation.
So rather than treating IA360 simply as another announcement, let us look at what Spain’s IA360 Plan actually proposes, what is already moving forward and what still exists only as a planned measure.
What is Spain’s IA360 Plan?
IA360 is a roadmap presented by the Spanish Government to promote the development and deployment of artificial intelligence. It was publicly presented on 21 September 2026, with milestones mainly covering 2026 and 2027.
The stated goals include increasing Spain’s technological capacity, encouraging more businesses to adopt artificial intelligence, improving AI skills, strengthening cybersecurity and creating additional mechanisms to supervise advanced AI systems.
The public presentation summarises the strategy around four broad objectives, while the detailed plan organises its actions into eight areas and fourteen flagship projects.
- Infrastructure.
- Security.
- Education.
- Talent.
- Technology development.
- Business AI adoption and diffusion.
- Public administration.
- International partnerships.
Why Spain wants businesses to adopt more AI
One of the figures behind the plan is the gap between personal and business adoption of artificial intelligence.
According to the latest available figures from Spain’s National Statistics Institute, 21.1% of Spanish companies with ten or more employees were using artificial intelligence technologies in the first quarter of 2025.
Other studies cited in the debate around IA360 show substantially higher use of generative AI among Spain’s working-age population.
The plan aims to reduce that gap, with a target of 55% of businesses using AI by 2030.
Spain’s proposed AI gigafactory
One of the largest projects associated with IA360 is Spain’s bid to host a European AI Gigafactory.
This would be much more than a conventional data centre. AI Gigafactories are intended to provide extremely large amounts of computing capacity for training, adapting and running advanced artificial intelligence models.
The Spanish project is expected to mobilise around €5 billion in public and private investment and aims for roughly 100,000 advanced AI accelerators.
Spain had already approved a €719 million public investment in June 2026, through the Spanish Society for Technological Transformation, to participate in the public-private consortium behind the bid.
There is, however, an important distinction: Spain has not yet been awarded an AI Gigafactory. The Spanish project is participating in the European EuroHPC selection process.
The project and its financing are real, but describing the facility as already awarded or operational would therefore be premature.
Red NEURONA: testing AI before deploying it
One of the most practical elements for small and medium-sized businesses is a new initiative called Red NEURONA.
The idea is to create a territorial network of centres where businesses can see artificial intelligence working in their sector, test solutions with their own data and evaluate whether those solutions provide real value before deploying them.
An initial pilot is expected to involve 100 SMEs in two Spanish autonomous communities. The stated objective for 2027 is to extend the model to ten regions and around 5,000 businesses.
At the time of writing, there is no general application process and the full network of centres has not yet been published.
A €600 million AI voucher for businesses
One of the IA360 measures likely to attract the most attention is the future Business Artificial Intelligence Voucher.
The plan sets out an overall allocation of €600 million with an objective of reaching around 25,000 businesses.
But the important part is what the programme is intended to finance.
The published approach is not simply to pay for a subscription to ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini or another AI service. The aim is to support projects that integrate AI into business processes through development, integration, data processing, sector-specific knowledge or process redesign.
In other words, buying an AI tool is not the same thing as transforming a business process with artificial intelligence.
Can businesses apply for the AI voucher now?
No.
This is one of the most important points for anyone currently searching for information about the scheme.
There is currently no general open call, the final regulatory conditions have not been published and the exact amount available to each business is not known.
The announced timetable places design work and a controlled pilot in the first half of 2027, followed by a general call before the end of 2027.
Will every company receive €24,000?
That cannot currently be claimed.
Dividing €600 million by 25,000 companies gives an arithmetic average of €24,000, but this does not mean that every beneficiary will receive that amount.
Maximum grants, eligible percentages, business categories and other conditions will have to be defined in the future programme rules.
Until those rules are published, presenting €24,000 as a guaranteed amount for each company would be misleading.
AI is also coming to Spain’s citizen services
IA360 is not only about businesses and large computing infrastructure.
The plan also proposes adding an AI assistant to Mi Carpeta Ciudadana during 2027. Mi Carpeta Ciudadana is Spain’s digital citizen area for consulting personal information, administrative files and procedures involving different public bodies.
The proposed assistant is intended to guide users and make some interactions with public services easier.
The plan also includes WhatsApp 060 as an additional public information channel.
However, the Government has not yet specified which AI model the assistant will use, exactly what information it will be allowed to access or which administrative operations it will eventually be able to perform.
AI in secondary education and vocational training
Education is another major part of the IA360 roadmap.
The Spanish Government proposes introducing artificial intelligence-related content into secondary education and vocational training, together with specific training for teachers.
The stated objective is broader than simply teaching students how to use AI tools. It also includes critical thinking, security, understanding synthetic content and recognising the limitations of artificial intelligence systems.
Curriculum changes will require coordination with Spain’s autonomous communities, so they should not be understood as an immediate nationwide classroom change following the announcement.
Cybersecurity and an AI Safety Institute
Security is another significant area of IA360.
The plan includes stronger cybersecurity capabilities, measures linked to post-quantum cryptography and the creation of an AI Safety Institute within Spain’s artificial intelligence supervisory agency.
Its work is expected to include the analysis and evaluation of advanced AI systems, testing methodologies, technical advice and responses to incidents.
The roadmap also proposes a specific protocol intended to improve the response to certain online risks affecting minors.
Building more AI technology in Spain
IA360 also aims to increase Spain’s ability to develop artificial intelligence technology and reduce some of Europe’s dependence on computing infrastructure and AI models based outside the region.
Among the announced initiatives is further work with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center to develop models and applications for areas such as energy, healthcare and climate-related research.
This sits alongside wider Spanish and European projects involving supercomputing, AI Factories and the development of home-grown AI technologies.
An announced plan does not mean everything is available today
This is perhaps the most important point when interpreting IA360.
A national roadmap can establish objectives, funding, projects and timelines, but many measures still require regulations, calls for applications, agreements with other public authorities or procurement procedures before they become operational.
- AI Gigafactory: there is a real Spanish bid and committed public funding, but the European selection process has not finished.
- AI Voucher: the programme has been announced, but businesses cannot apply yet.
- Red NEURONA: a pilot has been announced, but the national network is not yet fully deployed.
- AI in Mi Carpeta Ciudadana: planned for 2027.
- Education changes: further development and coordination with regional authorities will be required.
It is therefore useful to distinguish between what has been announced, what has already been approved and what can actually be used today.
What could IA360 mean for ordinary users?
For most citizens, IA360 will not create an overnight change.
Its most visible effects could gradually appear through AI-assisted public services, education, training and wider adoption of artificial intelligence by businesses and public administrations.
For freelancers and smaller businesses, the combination of Red NEURONA and the future AI Voucher could become one of the most relevant parts of the plan, depending on the eligibility rules eventually published.
From a technology perspective, the AI Gigafactory bid and investments in supercomputing are intended to increase European computing capacity for advanced AI systems and reduce complete dependence on infrastructure outside Europe.
Conclusion: IA360 is a roadmap, not a switch being turned on today
Spain’s IA360 Plan brings many different initiatives together: computing infrastructure, cybersecurity, education, business adoption, public services and technology development.
There are significant figures and concrete projects, but there are also many implementation steps still to come.
This distinction is particularly important when discussing business grants. The €600 million AI Voucher has been announced, but businesses cannot currently apply for it.
The real test for IA360 will therefore come over the following months and years, as these projects move from plans and timetables into services, infrastructure and programmes that companies and citizens can actually use.
Frequently asked questions about Spain’s IA360 Plan
What is Spain’s IA360 Plan?
It is the Spanish Government’s roadmap for developing, adopting and supervising artificial intelligence through projects involving infrastructure, businesses, education, cybersecurity, public administration and international cooperation.
Can companies apply for Spain’s AI Voucher now?
No. There is currently no general open call and the final programme rules have not yet been published.
How much funding will the AI Voucher provide?
The announced programme has an overall budget of €600 million and aims to reach around 25,000 businesses. The amount available to each individual beneficiary has not yet been published.
Will Spain’s AI Voucher pay for ChatGPT or Copilot subscriptions?
The published plan says that simply paying for software licences is not the purpose of the programme. Funding is intended for projects that integrate artificial intelligence into business processes and add value through development, integration, data processing or process redesign.
What is Red NEURONA?
It is a planned territorial network of AI demonstration and deployment centres where businesses will be able to see, test and validate artificial intelligence applications before implementing them.
Has Spain already been awarded a European AI Gigafactory?
No. Spain has a bid supported by significant public and private investment, but the European selection procedure for future AI Gigafactories has not yet concluded.
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