Ireland is failing to adequately prepare for the fast pace of technological advancements happening globally, particularly in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), according to Deputy Malcolm Byrne.
As the Taoiseach heads to the AI Summit in Paris this week, the government is still slow to adopt AI and new technological tools.
Deputy Byrne submitted Parliamentary Questions to all Government Departments and relevant agencies inquiring about their use of AI. The responses, show that most are following the National Cyber Security Centre’s guidelines on AI usage. While some departments have provided staff training, the majority have not. Only a few, such as the Department of Health, the Revenue Commissioners, and notably, the cross-border Loughs Agency (which uses AI for fish count validation), are leveraging AI for productivity and efficiency gains.
Deputy Byrne stated,
“There are significant productivity benefits to be gained from AI, and we need to encourage innovation. The government should be leading this effort. I am concerned that the department responsible for AI – Enterprise – starts its response by highlighting the risks of AI, rather than focusing on the opportunities. While it’s important to address the potential risks, the conversation must begin with an informed public discussion, and the government must take the lead in that.”
“At a time when the US and UK governments have committed billions to AI, and Chinese companies are accelerating their development of AI and improving the quality of AI-generated content, this should be one of Ireland’s top priorities. While having a dedicated Minister for AI is a positive move, this is a whole-of-government issue. Simply put, if we don’t take this seriously, Ireland risks falling behind.”
“The Programme for Government does outline ambitions for Ireland to lead in AI and digitalisation, but we are not being proactive enough. We need an education campaign for our politicians and more training for public servants on how to use technology to enhance public services, not just focus on the risks.”
