Report
Why governments buy AI badly
Key takeaways
- Bad AI procurement is structural: the regime was designed for goods that do not change after delivery.
- The dominant cost comes after signature; typical contracts budget almost only development.
- Data is the most expensive clause to omit: it decides whether the agency can switch vendors or even keep operating when the contract ends.
- No pilot without an end date and evaluation criteria agreed in advance.
- The ten clauses are adaptable text today, not regulatory aspiration.
A badly bought bridge collapses and gets investigated. A badly bought AI system operates badly for years, in silence. Eight structural causes — and the ten clauses no contract should omit.
The full document is currently published in Spanish; an English edition is prepared when demand warrants it. The Spanish record carries the complete summary and contents.