The University of Navarra joins the AI Alliance, the largest global consortium for open and responsible artificial intelligence

The University of Navarra has been accepted as a new member of the AI Alliance. AI Alliance an international coalition comprising entities such as IBM, Meta, EPFL, and Sony, among others, to promote the development of open, secure, and transparent artificial intelligence. The alliance brings together more than 180 organisations from over 25 countries, working at the forefront of AI technology, applications, and governance. 

This incorporation reinforces the University of Navarra's institutional commitment to scientific and technological innovation in the service of the common good, positioning it among the most active European universities in the field of ethics, regulation, and training in artificial intelligence. "Being part of the AI Alliance puts us at the forefront of the international dialogue on the social, ethical and technical impact of AI. We will contribute from our academic strengths in multidisciplinary research, education in digital competences and the development of responsible public policies", says Paloma Grau, Vice-Rector for Research and Sustainability at the University of Navarra. 

Artificial intelligence at the service of society

The AI Alliance operates in six primary strategic areas: training and skills, trust and security, developer tools, models and open data, diversity in hardware, and public policy. Each of these areas has collaborative working groups that involve universities, research centres, governments, technology companies, and non-profit organisations.

The University of Navarra will begin its participation in the AI Skills & Education, Trust & Safety, and Advocacy & Policy groups, providing expertise in higher education, bioethics, technology law, and social impact assessment. "From Navarra, we will develop training frameworks on generative AI, postgraduate programmes in technology regulation and academic contributions to the design of international standards in responsible AI", says Jesús López Fidalgo, director of the Institute of data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DATAI) at the University of Navarra.

"IBM welcomes the University of Navarra to the AI Alliance and we are pleased to see how more and more organisations, both Spanish and international, support its founding principles to advance open, secure and responsible AI," says Cristina Marqués, head of University Relations in Spain at IBM, which together with Meta and another fifty organisations participated in the launch of the AI Alliance in December 2023.

A strategic opportunity for Spain and Europe

Currently, 16 European universities are part of the AI Alliance, including leading institutions such as ETH Zurich (Switzerland), Imperial College London (United Kingdom), Technical University of Munich (Germany), Poznań University of Technology (Poland) and the Institut Polytechnique de Paris (France). With this incorporation, the University of Navarra becomes the third Spanish university to join this global network, together with the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas and ESADE.

The University of Navarra's membership of the AI Alliance comes at a key moment for Europe and Spain in the development of artificial intelligence. At the European level, the entry into force of the AI Act in 2024 and the launch of the Action Plan "AI Continent" in 2025 reaffirm the European Union's commitment to making the continent a world leader in artificial intelligence. This step positions the University as an active agent in designing ethical, sustainable solutions aligned with the social and regulatory challenges of the digital era.