The EDVAL project
A strategic initiative aimed at ensuring that Spanish plays a
leading role in artificial intelligence and the data economy,
creating a secure collaborative environment that complies with
European regulations.
What is the
EDVAL project?
EDVAL (Valle de la Lengua Data Hub) is a strategic institutional initiative designed to strengthen the role of Spanish in the digital economy and the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Its primary mission is to provide a secure, governed and interoperable environment for the collection, management and exchange of linguistic resources, both spoken and written.
This project aims to break down existing data silos so that Spanish becomes a native language in AI, rather than merely a translated one. To this end, EDVAL offers key assets such as the San Millán Spanish Oral Corpus (COE San Millán), specialised computing infrastructure and language processing services. All this is undertaken whilst upholding data sovereignty and compliance with European regulations.
ACRONYM
Espacio de Datos VAlle de la Lengua
To ensure that Spanish is a native language in AI rather than merely
a translated one, EDVAL guarantees data sovereignty and compliance
with European regulations.
Mission of the EDVAL project
EDVAL exists to address a clear problem: Spanish is underused in technological development.
WHAT WE ARE CHANGING:
- We bring together linguistic resources that are currently scattered and isolated.
- We create a secure environment for sharing and reusing data.
- We guarantee quality, traceability and respect for the cultural and normative context of the language.
- We facilitate the integration of Spanish from the design stage into
- Artificial Intelligence systems.
Our commitment is to ensure that Spanish ceases to be a language “translated” by technology and becomes a native language in its development.
Vision for the EDVAL project
We want EDVAL to become the leading infrastructure for Spanish language technologies.
OUR VISION IN ACTION:
- To promote linguistic and technological sovereignty.
- To strengthen the competitiveness of businesses.
- To modernise public services.
- To promote Artificial Intelligence in Spanish that is inclusive,
- reliable and ethical.
Our ultimate goal is for Spanish to play a leading role in
technological innovation in Spain and Europe.
A project with a
linguistic foundation and a technological focus
The project originated in the Valle de la Lengua region (La Rioja), an
area closely linked to the origins of Castilian Spanish, which today is looking
towards the digital future of our language, combining research, technology and
institutional collaboration.
Through this project, we aim to break down the current information silos and
foster a more connected ecosystem, capable of boosting the
competitiveness of our businesses and modernising public services
across the Spanish-speaking world.
AI that thinks in Spanish
Nowadays, most AI models are trained in English and then translated, which means that nuances, the richness of our accents and our culture are lost. At EDVAL, we are working to ensure that Spanish is a
strategic asset right from the start.
We want virtual assistants, translators and tools for healthcare or the justice system to understand perfectly whether someone is speaking to them from Madrid, Mexico or Buenos Aires. Through this approach, we aim to boost business competitiveness and the modernisation of public services across the Spanish-speaking world.
We want Artificial Intelligence to speak, understand and feel in Spanish as if it were a native speaker.
San Millán Spanish Oral Corpus (COE San Millán)
A key pillar of the EDVAL project
The San Millán Spanish Oral Corpus (COE San Millán) is one of the most valuable strategic and active pillars of the EDVAL project. This extensive, structured collection provides high-quality linguistic resources in their spoken form. Integrated into the Valle de la Lengua ecosystem, it aims to position Spanish as a native language in the development of Artificial Intelligence, whilst avoiding the biases of models trained exclusively in Anglo-Saxon contexts.
Why a linguistic data repository?
The creation of this EDVAL responds to the need to overcome the barriers that
are currently holding back the technological potential of our language:
Collaboration
as the foundation of
the project
EDVAL is not an isolated project, but a collaborative working environment that connects public administrations, universities, research centres and technology companies within a shared network. It is led by the Foundation for the Transformation of La Rioja (FTR) and the National Centre for Spanish-Language Industries (CNIE), and creates a space where academic knowledge and business development advance hand in hand. Thanks to this collaboration, the necessary capacity is generated for Spanish to play a leading role in the new language economy and to make this environment an international benchmark.
Monitoring by the participating organisations
Clear terms of use and traceability
Open standards that facilitate collaboration
Alignment with European regulations
EDVAL in the European
data ecosystem
EDVAL is not an isolated initiative. We are fully aligned with the European Data Strategy, working closely with international networks such as Gaia-X and the IDSA (International Data Spaces Association).
This means we adhere to the highest security and quality standards on the continent. By joining EDVAL, you become part of a single European data market based on trust, innovation and respect for privacy.
Sector-specific data repositories
It forms part of the European network of data
spaces designed to facilitate the secure,
interoperable and governed exchange of
information between organisations.
Language specialism
It places a specific focus on language
technology, strengthening the role of
Spanish in artificial intelligence and digital
services.
European cooperation
It fosters links between institutions,
companies and research centres to
drive innovation based on linguistic data.
A transparent
and secure
model for data use
Sharing data requires trust, and at EDVAL we ensure this through clear and publicly available rules. The exchange is governed by an open and dynamic Rulebook, accessible on GitHub, which ensures transparency, neutrality and traceability in every decision.
Governance is based on defined roles: a Governing Authority (CNIE) that safeguards the common interest, and participants (suppliers, consumers and intermediaries) who operate within a shared framework.
Thanks to ‘data sovereignty’, each data subject decides who can use their
information, how it is used, and for what purpose.
We operate under a co-governance model in which a central authority
ensures that everything remains neutral and secure.
Every transaction is traceable, ensuring that data is used
ethically and responsibly.
Participation or information
Are you interested in becoming part of the ecosystem? Whether you’re a public body, a university or a tech start-up, EDVAL is the place to create shared value through language. Join us and let’s make Spanish a leader in the future of AI!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is EDVAL’s main objective?
EDVAL’s main objective is to create a secure environment for collecting and sharing Spanish-language linguistic resources. To this end, it offers AI models and services that strengthen its role in the digital economy.
Why is a Spanish language data repository needed?
Because the data is fragmented and there is a lack of high-quality resources, which reduces the competitiveness of Spanish and causes AI to treat it as a translated language.
What is data sovereignty at EDVAL?
Data sovereignty in EDVAL ensures that each organisation retains control over its data. This allows them to decide how their data is used and when it is shared, without relinquishing ownership.
Who is leading the EDVAL project?
The EDVAL project is led by the Foundation for the Transformation of La Rioja (FTR) and the National Centre for Spanish Language Industries (CNIE).
Who can take part in EDVAL?
EDVAL is open to public authorities, universities, research centres, technology companies, cultural institutions and AI start-ups interested in promoting digital Spanish.
How does EDVAL help AI to think in Spanish?
EDVAL helps AI to think in Spanish by providing corpora and databases that reflect the linguistic and sector-specific richness of the Spanish language, enabling more accurate models that are tailored to our reality.