Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Businesses: Discussion
Mr. David Lee:
If I were to paraphrase Henry Ford when people were looking for faster horses, he gave them the Model T. In terms of generative AI at the moment, we are probably giving people faster horses. It is using the technology to drive out inefficiencies in day-to-day activities. The next wave will be the more destructive piece where people consider the impact it has on the business model. We will be moving from the horses to the cars. People are learning in a reasonably safe environment. As Ms O'Meara said, in every organisation people are using it. Individuals without any diktat from the management see it as a beneficial aid to their work. Obviously, we need to do that in a much more controlled way. If we did a survey now, it would be very different from what we might see in 12 months' time. As I said earlier, 2024 will definitely be a significant year in going from toe in the water to more material significant deployments.