Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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I have a note here that the new global arms race appears to involve generative AI. The witnesses already highlighted some of the concerns. We have infrastructural concerns in Ireland, particularly given that we are exposed with transatlantic cables and so on. Will AI prevent hacking in the future or will it ensure it happens far more frequently? There is the issue of how AI might be used to protect data.

All three witnesses referred to the democratisation of generative AI. I would say to them that while that might be an aspiration, I do not see it happening. Having the witnesses here is emblematic of where the technology sector is. The big players will dominate. I have a phone with probably 150 apps on it. I use about eight of them and that is enough. Therefore, all my time is spent on those platforms.

Amazon mentioned STS Group, a company in Waterford. I know well that companies use Amazon Web Services. That goes back to my point that companies which build their businesses in these frameworks will basically be tied into them in the future. It goes back to this idea of the democratisation of generative AI. Those are more comments than points. Would the witnesses like to address some of them?