AI Advisory Council: Recommendations to secure Ireland’s position in the AI ecosystem

Aimed at enhancing understanding of the transformative impact of AI on the labour market.

The AI Advisory Council calls on government to:
• “Directly invest in the development of a real-time, publicly available ‘AI Observatory’”, to deliver data insights across several metrics, enabling policymakers, educators, and individuals to “better navigate the changes ahead.””.

Ecosystem

Aimed at supporting start-ups and SMEs to accelerate funding and leveraging, while expanding testbed initiatives.

The AI Advisory Council proposes:

• Establishing a “high-visibility innovation campus” with a specific AI focus to provide startups with access to hardware, research labs, resources, and engagement with policymakers.
• Creating “AI expert panels”, similar to Innovate UK, to bring together independent experts to evaluate/guide funding decisions.
• Rolling out an AI regulatory sandbox.
• Creating a “dedicated Irish AI Office” to help align stakeholders around a single AI vision for Ireland.

Literacy and education

Aimed at emphasising the significance of AI literacy training for educators and ensuring equitable access to tools for students.

• AI Advisory Council’s recommendations include:
• Government establishing and and publishing guidelines for the use of AI in the form of a live document.
• Government taking leadership of the development and implementation of AI literacy training for educators.
• Government creating of “a system to ensure equitable access to generative AI tools” in education.
• Government facilitating a “national conversation” between educations stakeholders to “create a more stable and directed approach to leveraging AI in education”.

Sovereignty and infrastructure

Aimed at ensuring recognition of the value of sovereign data and highlighting centrality of enhanced energy infrastructure as an enabler of participation in the AI economy.

AI Advisory Council suggests that:

• Government must “fully integrate AI into its operations” to enhanced public services, with an emphasis on “Irish AI” to incentivise local innovation.
• Government should establish an “AI Energy Council” to recommend policies to accelerate electricity grid development and cultivate “public conversation on whether and how safe nuclear energy can be adopted in Ireland”.
• Ireland contributes to AI innovation by “making available key public data resources” while maintaining privacy and security and proposing updates to the EU Open Data Directive.

Biometrics and the public sector

Aimed at providing recommendations for the responsible use of AI-powered facial recognition technology in public services.

The AI Advisory Council recommends that:

• Any decision to legislate for the use of FRT by An Garda Síochána must be accompanied by a clear legal rationale for use cases and establish legal parameters.
• A bespoke procurement framework for FRT systems should be adopted and implemented.
• Prior to procurement/deployment of FRT, an independent evaluation should be undertaken in real-world conditions.
• Regular independent auditing of FRT be provided for.

Creative sector

Aimed at determining the transformation impact of AI on the sector while protecting creators.

The AI Advisory Council suggests that:

• Government evaluates copyright laws and licencing regimes for preparedness amid AI disruption.
• Government introduces a specific law to prohibit the creation of digital deepfakes of individuals without consent.
• Government explores policy initiatives to “protect and promote Irish and European culture in the age of AI”.