Government survey: How Ireland’s government departments are using AI

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has discussed the potential use of ChatGPT; however, the Department is not using ChatGPT or any other generative AI applications to conduct business. In addition, the department has an AI policy in place which has been communicated to all staff through an AI awareness campaign. The following predictive AI models have been employed within the Department, largely for research and analysis purposes: • predicting the likelihood of TB outbreaks; • image analysis of crop claimed under CAP schemes; • image analysis for identifying species susceptible to H5N1 (bird flu); • customer segmentation analysis for developing agri-food policies; • analysis for identifying risk factors for microbial food safety; and • smart text analysis to prevent and contain data breaches. All current and future use cases are subject to human review, data protection and governance measures. The Department is committed to ensuring that any use of AI is informed by a risk assessment in line with our AI policy of any potential human rights and equality implications, with a need for careful management in accordance with privacy and broader ethical and legal frameworks.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) has discussed ChatGPT and/or other AI applications and provided familiarisation sessions to officials on its potential uses. DCEDIY is guided by the Interim Guidelines for Use of AI in the Public Service published by the Public Service Transformation Delivery Unit in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and by the National Cyber Security Centre on ICT policy and for decision making security matters. DCEDIY does not use publicly available large language models including ChatGPT to conduct business. Beyond this, DCEDIY is currently developing a specific policy on the use of AI to guide officials in the use and development of AI, including large language models.

Department of Defence

The Department of Defence’s core IT infrastructure is delivered by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) under the ‘Build to Share Managed Desktop’ shared service. In line with advice issued from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), OGCIO do not allow AI tools to be accessed by default on official devices. The use of AI, as with all enabling technologies, is considered on a solution-by-solution basis. Any such considerations are discussed and a risk assessment conducted as appropriate.’

Department of Education

The Department continues to review and follow guidance issued by the National Cyber Security Centre, Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, and the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform on the use of artificial intelligence.

A limited trial is underway by the communications unit within the department to assess the opportunity for productivity gains of AI services which includes the transcription of public audio recordings to text, grammar and spelling assistance, translation of public information, and editing text in plain English. All text is reviewed and verified by a human.

A proof of concept to examine if AI technologies could support Departmental staff in responding to customer queries was completed. The proof of concept focused on the potential for using AI technologies to analyse large volumes of publicly available information. An external service provider assisted with this at no cost to the Department. The Department has no AI systems in place that processes citizens information. The Department will continue to assess the suitability of AI on a solution-by-solution basis.

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment first issued a policy document on the use of Generative AI to all staff in July 2023. That policy highlighted some of the potential areas where Generative AI could deliver efficiencies but also set out the risks of using such technologies and the mitigations that staff in the Department must adopt to avoid those risks. This was based on guidance received from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The Department’s original generative AI Policy has recently been reviewed, and an updated version has been issued to all staff which encourages and fosters greater use of Generative AI. The new policy mandates Microsoft Copilot Chat as the preferred Generative AI chat tool to be used by staff in the Department. Copilot Chat was chosen based on its built in Enterprise Data Protection which ensures that the Departments data is kept secure and private and is not used to train foundation models. Other AI applications may be used if a risk assessment is carried out and it confirms that similar levels of enterprise data protection can be guaranteed.

The Department does not record exactly what individual staff might be using generative AI tools for, but the new policy encourages staff to use it to find information, answer questions, and generate content and ideas. The policy makes staff aware that AI can make mistakes, and third-party content on the internet may not always be accurate or reliable and that they should always check the sources before making decisions or taking actions based on AI generated content. Department staff remain 100 per cent responsible for all outputs regardless of whether AI assistance was involved or not. Where appropriate, content approval processes are put in place and staff must notify anyone receiving the document to review/approve that they have used Generative AI and that they have checked the sources for accuracy. These internal assurance processes align with the European Commission’s High-Level Expert Group on AI which presented Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence. These guidelines are focused on ensuring that there is ultimately a human in command to ensure the accuracy of materials which may have been generated with the help of generative AI tools.

In the wider context of AI, one of the Department’s Offices, the Companies Registration Office (CRO), uses machine learning to scan digitised annual returns to check whether they are signed in the appropriate places. This technology has proven to be very effective in delivering processing efficiencies for the CRO. The CRO received over 240,000 Annual Returns in 2022, all of which were processed using this signature recognition facility. The Department and the CRO also collaborated on an artificial intelligence project to scan CRO annual returns and extract company financial data. Work on data analysis from this project and in planning the further scaling out of this project is currently ongoing.

When considering the use of any new technologies, the Department assesses the risks and benefits of appropriate technologies, including AI, on a case by case basis. Some of the rationales considered are enhanced efficiency and productivity, improved decision-making and cost savings through the automation of tasks and the optimisation of processes. Convenience, accessibility and ease of use for the end user will also be considerations in the development and selection of public facing new technologies in the future which may include elements of AI capability. The Department led the development of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, AI: Here for Good. As part of this Strategy, the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) play a key role in providing advice and guidance on the deployment of AI tools across the public sector. The National AI Strategy and this cross-government engagement will continue to inform the Department’s future approach in seeking to leverage AI in relation to the work and functions of the Department.

Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications did not respond to eolas Magazine.

Department of Finance

The Department of Finance declined to comment.

Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

The Department is currently considering potential use cases for the adoption of AI in its work, not specifically ChatGPT, and a working group has been established to progress this. Limited circumstances in which AI is currently used include summarising text and workshop structuring. All text is reviewed and verified by a human. There are no AI systems in place that processes citizens’ information. The working group have a draft terms of reference which include identifying potential training needs and to create guidelines to consider the use of AI within the Department. The Department continues to review and follow guidance issued by the National Cyber Security Centre, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, and the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform on the use of artificial intelligence.

Department of Health

The Department of Health has an approved policy on the use of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) which is based on recommendations from the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) Cyber Security Guidance on Generative AI for Public Sector Bodies and the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform’s (DPENDR’s) Interim Guidelines for Use of AI in the Public Service. Training was provided to 25 staff as part of a proof of concept, regarding possible use cases of gen AI, including improved efficiency and productivity. This will inform decisions regarding the potential use of gen AI in the future.

Department of Justice

The Department of Justice did not respond to eolas Magazine.

Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform

In relation to the use of AI, the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDR) has regard to relevant guidance published by the National Cyber Security Centre, the seven requirements for ethical AI that have been developed by the European Commission’s High Level Expert Group on AI in their Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI and the Interim Guidelines for the Use of AI in the Public Service. These Interim Guidelines, which were published by this Department, underscore the Government’s commitment to promoting the adoption of trustworthy AI in the Public Service and set out high level principles to support this. Reflecting on the rapid pace of change in the adoption of AI tools, the coming into force of the EU AI Act and the refresh of the National AI Strategy by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in November 2024, this Department is now finalising more advanced, practice-orientated Guidelines for the Responsible Use of AI in the Public Service, including Generative AI. Specifically regarding use of ChatGPT within DPENDR, a guidance note on AI, in the context of the use of ChatGPT, was issued to all staff in May 2023. This reminded staff of their responsibilities in general as set out in the Department’s Acceptable Use of ICT policy and advised staff that an appropriate risk assessment should be carried out before using any new technology. Known risks in using AI were also flagged in the guidance. The Department does not currently use ChatGPT, or similar AI products, to conduct official business. However, potential use of AI to enable the Department’s work is kept under review so that we can avail of the opportunities AI offers where appropriate. If the use of AI tools is being considered, this will be discussed and an appropriate and proportional risk assessment will be conducted.

Department of Rural and Community Development

The Department of Rural and Community Development did not respond to eolas Magazine.

Department of Social Protection

The Department of Social Protection is currently examining the potential future use of AI technologies.

An AI chatbot on the Department’s MyGovID platform is in use, providing real-time advice to customers on how best to use the MyGovID service. As part of an internal review of Microsoft Office services in the Department, a small number of users are temporarily piloting an upgrade, which includes limited integration of AI tools within the suite as standard.

The Department will continue to examine the merits of AI suitability for its needs.

Department of the Taoiseach

The Department of the Taoiseach did not respond to eolas Magazine.

The Department is awaiting the publication of updated guidelines on the use of AI from the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, which are due in the near future and these will inform any internal policy that is subsequently developed. In the interim, some departmental staff have attended events and training relating to the capabilities and potential applications of AI. Use cases and possible “proof of concepts” are being explored.

A free version Microsoft’s Copilot is being assessed by staff in the Department under strict controls. A project has also commenced with an AI proof of concept for the Coast Guard. Further use cases and additional proof of concepts may be explored in the year ahead but no specific projects have been approved nor budget allocated at this time.

AI: Here for Good, a national artificial intelligence strategy for Ireland published by the Government in 2021, states in Section 4.1: “Government will leverage the potential of AI to assist in achieving excellence, innovation, and improved productivity in the delivery of public services and in other key activities”. In this context, the Department of Transport is assessing potential applications of AI which may deliver efficiencies and other benefits to the work of the Department.

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Department does not use ChatGPT or any other AI to conduct business. As with all new technologies, the Department is assessing the potential of AI in the delivery of services, in line with the National Cyber Security Centre guidance on its usage in the public service.

Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

The Department is guided by relevant legislation, policies and the National Cyber Security Centre in respect of all matters related to the use or operation of AI. All applications and platforms used or operated by the Department must be in line with relevant policies and be consistent with advice provided by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The Department occasionally uses the European Commission’s eTranslation machine translation platform, which is based on neural machine translation, being a form of artificial intelligence. This platform can be used to provide a draft translation of a text or a document between the Irish and English languages as part of the Department’s work, thus assisting in making efficiencies in the organisation’s operations.