Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The western regional enterprise plan must have significant consideration of AI and a dedication to it. Ireland has benefited massively in the past 30 to 40 years from having incredible educational opportunities, ultimately leading many people into high-paying, knowledge worker roles. The problem is that, with the speed at which AI is changing, it is a threat to many of the knowledge worker roles. We should not see it as a threat but as an opportunity. We must embrace it and run with it. This western regional enterprise plan should set out clearly that Galway or the west needs an AI hub, whereby all of our tech companies, medtech and pharma in the west can tap into AI and make sure that not only are they using AI to benefit their companies, but they are using it to benefit the west and the country as a whole, because it is going to get hyper-competitive in the coming years. If we do not get ahead of it now, we run the risk of being left behind. Globally, AI is being adopted at a faster rate than any technology previously in the history of the world. It is our chance as a country to get out in front.

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