Government ministers will meet today to discuss strengthening the laws around intimate image abuse. It follows an alarming rise in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate offensive content.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said Coco’s Law, which banned the sharing of intimate images without a person’s consent, may need to be strengthened. Mr Martin was speaking in advance of an expected European Commission investigation into the AI platform Grok this week.
The Taoiseach said on Sunday that he does “anticipate action” from the European Commission following the controversy over images created by Grok that were published on X.
An Garda Síochána is currently investigating 200 allegations of child sex-abuse imagery created by Grok.
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Mr Martin will today convene a meeting with Tánaiste Simon Harris, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, Minister for Media Patrick O’Donovan and Minister of State for AI, Niamh Smyth.
It is understood they will discuss whether a law banning the sharing of intimate images without consent needs additional focus. They may also consider calls from the AI Advisory Council for a law prohibiting so-called “deepfakes".
The Government is also considering moving forward with a “suite of measures” designed to regulate AI. Indications have been given that the measures may also be taken on board at EU level. Ireland is expected to hold an AI summit during its upcoming presidency of the EU.
Meanwhile, Government ministers will tomorrow be told about a new “clearing house” that has been set up to shave months and years off the timelines for big energy, water and transport projects.
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers will tell Cabinet colleagues that the new Joint Utilities and Transport Clearing House held its first meeting before Christmas. The clearing house was set up after an infrastructure taskforce last year said issues within state agencies had been contributing to long delays in trying to develop new roads, energy and water projects.
[ ‘Concerns remain’ around Grok despite X’s assurances, says MinisterOpens in new window ]
Its first meeting was attended by ESB, EirGrid, the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Irish Water and the Land Development Agency. Mr Chambers told the first meeting that disputes between state agencies should not be allowed to delay projects. It will meet every six to eight weeks and the state agencies who attend will be expected to explain what the biggest bottlenecks delaying projects are.
Mr Chambers’ department believes bringing the state agencies around one table and “knocking heads together” could take “months and years off project life cycles” and build big infrastructure projects more quickly.
Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke will also brief Cabinet colleagues on new employment numbers, which show Ireland’s employment rate now stands at 2.82 million. Mr Burke will tell ministers that the number of people in employment rose by 30,600 in the 12 months up to the third quarter of last year.
