Mr. Fionn McWeeney:

Right now, we are also concerned about the impact of AI on children’s rights to be kept safe from harm. Many chatbots still do not have the necessary safety features to guarantee that the responses children receive are age appropriate. Children, especially younger one, risk being exposed to material that is offensive or distressing or having their personal data stolen and used without their consent. Much more has to be done to prevent the use of AI to create fake images of young people that can then be exploited for cyberbullying and even abusive material. Finally, young people have the right to grow up in a clean and sustainable environment. With the use of AI expanding, data centres in Ireland require increasing volumes of water and energy. If we do not put the environment at the heart of our discussions on AI, we risk going backwards in our efforts to protect our planet for the future and address the climate emergency.

The risks of AI can be exaggerated, and we do not believe that out-and-out bans offer a realistic solution to such a complex issue. However, a balance needs to be struck between making sure AI is accessible for all young people but also safe. What we want are AI systems that work for, not against, young people. To achieve this, we have several recommendations for the committee.

First, there needs to be proper regulation of AI at both an Irish and EU level. We need laws that will make protecting our personal data a priority, AI systems must be designed so that young people accessing them are shielded from harmful content and our politicians must guarantee there will be genuine consequences for companies that fail in their duty to uphold our rights. Companies must take seriously their responsibility to keep children safe online. They need to create effective age verification systems that restrict access to AI tools; children should have the option of blocking AI-generated content they do not want to see; and everyone under the age of 18 should be clearly notified when they are interacting with an AI tool.

Education that enables young people to understand AI and how to use it responsibly is key. Young people should be given the skills to be able to tell when something has been AI generated and to critically analyse AI-generated information. We want to understand what the Government is doing to regulate AI and we need reliable information about the benefits and risks of AI. Given AI is already part of our lives, this needs to be embedded in the curriculum and all teachers need to be upskilled so that they have the confidence to help guide us in AI safely.

Finally, we wish to acknowledge that today is an important first step in ensuring that young people’s voices are included in the Government’s discussions on AI but this cannot be a one-off. As the Government moves forward on this issue, the impact of AI on our rights must be considered each and every step of the way. The new national AI office provides an opportunity to continue including children's views throughout this process. I thank the committee again for the opportunity to speak today and we will be happy to answer any questions members might have.