There are some concerning signals about the State’s response to artificial intelligence (AI) which suggest a lack of understanding of the urgency of taking action and the absence of a wider strategy. Much of what is being done shows a general appreciation of the main issues – but there are questions about the pace and direction of policy action,.
The need to respond to AI covers a number of key policy areas – including but not confined to all levels of education, workforce training, cyber security, tech regulation, innovation and economic planning. The key policy dilemma is that the application of AI is accelerating, even if its likely direct impact on employment remains unclear.
Against this backdrop, the State’s response needs to be both considered and flexible. And it also needs to be quick. It has become clear in recent week, for example, that AI will bring new challenges to cybersecurity, requiring a stepped up State response. There is increased responsibility here for the National Cybersecurity Centre and it must have the resources to undertake this vital work.
The State also needs to accelerate the putting in place of a wider policy framework, including drawing on the best advice from national experts. The AI Advisory Council, which has done some useful scoping work on the issue, has been stood down, but the promised new AI Office for Ireland has still to be established and the membership of its advisory committee is unclear. The civil service can, all too often, try to sideline advisory bodies. This cannot be allowed to happen in this case.
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Workplace planning is also vital. A new national jobs “observatory” to monitor the impact of AI is promised, but has yet to appear. This is vital to try to assess what jobs may be lost and where new ones may be created. The exposure of younger people needs to be assessed and plans put in place to ensure the education system does what is needed at all levels to equip students with the necessary skills.
Much greater workplace training is also required and smaller companies, in particular, will need help here. A wider AI literacy campaign is needed.
Ministers talk about the transformative impact of the technology and correctly say that Ireland needs to avail of the opportunities and prepare as well as possible. But all this needs to be underpinned by some clear national goals.
The technology is largely being developed in the US. The most obvious positioning for Ireland, as the AI Advisory Council said, is in applied AI – in other words as a centre where businesses can develop commercial applications. But this will require investment and planning. If Ireland just waits and sees what happens, then the opportunity of positioning the State as well as possible will be lost.
