Mr. Jeremy Rollison:

I thank the committee for the opportunity to be here today. I want to talk about Microsoft's approach to AI. We believe generative AI will democratise access to information, enable businesses to be more productive and more efficient, empower individuals to work more effectively, and create new jobs and industries of which we cannot yet conceive. Technology companies need to build confidence among users in the workplace and in society, addressing the very reasonable and legitimate public and political concerns about these new AI technologies. Microsoft is committed to developing and deploying AI safely and responsibly in partnership with society and we have taken very deliberate steps going back several years. These include developing our own responsible AI programme in 2017 followed by the adoption in 2018 of our ethical AI principles. Creation of our responsible AI office followed a year later. We published a responsible AI standard, moving these principles into practice, sharing those learnings with others and updating that continuously as this technology evolves. Just last year, we published our five-point blueprint for public governance of AI. We are engaging in conversations around the world about how to most effectively regulate the risks around this technology.

We support the European Union's AI act with its risk-based approach and we acknowledge the work of the Department here in developing the national strategy, AI - Here for Good, appointing an AI ambassador, and more recently, the AI advisory council. These measures, including these committee meetings, are a sign of intent and engagement, seeking to navigate these new waters with care and purpose.

It is with this careful and mindful approach and continuous engagement with governments and key stakeholders that Microsoft brings new AI tools to market with an obligation to do so responsibly and safely. We believe Ireland's businesses and workers are as well positioned as any to harness the opportunities of AI. We believe Ireland has an unmatched technology cluster, a vibrant research and education sector, the best educated workers in the EU, and an enterprise base and workforce that has shown repeatedly that it can adapt, grow and thrive when presented with a challenge.