This paper analyses the growing automation of administrative sanctioning powers in public administrations, with particular attention to the use of AI-driven systems for detecting legal infringements and issuing penalties. Drawing on empirical examples from Spain – especially the automated enforcement of low-emission zones in Barcelona and labour inspection procedures – it examines the implications of these practices for fundamental principles of administrative law. The paper argues that current regulatory frameworks insufficiently address the specific risks posed by automated sanctioning, such as false positives, rigidification of penalties, and erosion of procedural guarantees. It therefore advocates the development of tailored legal safeguards capable of reconciling technological efficiency with the core requirements of the rule of law and the protection of individual rights.