The public administration of the metropolitan area of León is making a leap into the future this year with the implementation of the Provincial Artificial Intelligence Strategy, a pioneering project in Spain that will place Sariegos and 22 other municipalities at the technological forefront. Villaquilambre and Valverde de la Virgen will soon join this initiative, which has a clear objective: to streamline the management of licenses, reports, and citizen inquiries through AI, allowing public employees to resolve procedures in seconds. This pilot plan, funded with 2.4 million euros until 2030, is designed to ensure that municipalities with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants do not fall behind in digital transformation. According to Valentín Martínez, deputy for Cooperation and SAM, the strategy aims to make local governments more efficient and to combat administrative bottlenecks both in municipalities and in the Diputación itself. Tasks that previously took days, such as drafting minutes or creating ordinances, can now be completed in minutes. Far from replacing municipal workers, AI will act as an intelligent assistant, freeing secretaries and auditors from repetitive tasks and facilitating the management of large volumes of regulatory information. The Diputación will provide generative AI licenses (like ChatGPT) in a secure environment compliant with the European AI Regulation and data protection laws. This year, 350,000 euros are allocated to reach 270 users, and the hiring process is already underway. For citizens, the arrival of AI will mean a more agile and efficient administration, with less bureaucracy and more personalized attention, as officials will be able to dedicate more time to direct service. The rollout includes mandatory training for public employees in the first 23 participating municipalities, with Sariegos as a reference, and will gradually extend to others. The goal is for AI to be a common tool in all municipalities under the Diputación by 2030, positioning León as a national leader in rural innovation and territorial cohesion. AI tools will be under human supervision and trained with proprietary data, ensuring security and transparency in management. This way, residents will be able to carry out procedures more quickly and easily, with the assurance that local regulations will be applied accurately. The plan, unanimously approved politically, has the collaboration of the University of León, Incibe, and the Technological Park, and also aims to attract digital talent, support young entrepreneurs, and combat the digital divide. The document acknowledges existing challenges, such as the limited digital training of staff and rapid technological evolution, but advocates for a responsible and human modernization of administration. In summary, the Diputación of León is betting on a technological revolution with human control, where AI becomes an ally to improve public management and bring administration closer to citizens, especially in smaller municipalities. Source: diariodeleon.es