Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrating into various fields, and now it is making a significant entry into the public employment sector. The Spanish Government has greenlit the 2026 Public Employment Offer, which includes 27,232 positions for the General State Administration. When combined with positions for the National Police, Civil Guard, and Armed Forces, the total figure exceeds 37,000.
The most notable aspect of this offer is not just the volume of positions but the provision for 1,700 jobs in IT bodies, a 42% increase from the previous year. For the first time, selection tests will include specializations in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data science. This signifies that the administration is seeking personnel not only for system maintenance but also to actively work with data, automation, security, and new AI models, marking a structural shift within the public sector.
AI is transitioning from being an external tool to becoming an intrinsic competence of public administration. While there won't be specific exams titled "artificial intelligence civil servant" or widespread municipal calls, the Public Employment Offer establishes the general framework. Specific calls, syllabi, and deadlines will follow, but the message is clear: AI, data, and cybersecurity are becoming strategic competencies for the State.
This trend is not entirely new. Before its inclusion in civil service exams, AI had already begun to be implemented in some public services. For instance, the Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria) utilizes virtual assistants and taxpayer support tools, enabling natural language queries for procedures like income tax declarations. These steps, while not spectacular, are significant in the direct relationship between citizens and administration.
The Tax Agency prioritizes AI in information, taxpayer assistance, and prevention, aiming to help resolve queries, avoid errors, and improve the quality of declared data. It's crucial to distinguish that not everything that appears intelligent is AI; massive data processing, risk systems, or process automation may constitute advanced automation without necessarily being AI. The novelty lies in the need for personnel capable of understanding, governing, limiting, and explaining these tools.
This change is also evident in other bodies. The Social Security implemented ISSA in 2020, an AI-based virtual assistant to guide citizens, and the Ministry of Justice has employed AI for tasks such as document classification and intelligent searches within judicial documents. Previously, the transformation was primarily digital, but now it is beginning to incorporate human expertise.
At the regional level, the Generalitat de Catalunya has established the Directorate General for Artificial Intelligence, Efficiency, and Data to promote digital public services and apply AI securely. This approach differs from the State's mass recruitment drive, focusing on an internal architecture for its strategic deployment.
The evolution is occurring at different paces: the State is paving the way with IT positions, autonomous communities are building governance structures, and municipalities, particularly smaller ones, are in a later phase. Currently, municipalities are not seeing a surge in positions explicitly dedicated to AI, but rather profiles in IT, technological innovation, or digital transformation. However, AI will reach local governments through regional programs, shared tools, and data platforms.
For regions like Conca de Barberà, the challenge is not whether AI will arrive, but how to manage it. Small and medium-sized municipalities, with fewer resources than ministries or large cities, will need to address issues such as data protection, transparency, and human oversight. The region must prepare for an administration with more data and automation, requiring trained personnel and clear public criteria to ensure AI assists the administration responsibly towards its citizens.
