Results 101-120 of 10,711 for speaker:Niamh Smyth

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I hope the risk-based approach in all our regulation and in devising our sandbox and observatory will take that into consideration so that we do not leave anybody behind. The reality is there are a cohort of people there. As Deputy Ó Cearúil referenced, the sandbox is software. If people are not digitally proficient, they cannot use it in the first place.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I cannot say for certain today that is not a possibility, but I am conscious of it. As I referenced in my opening statement, I am conscious and mindful that we do not leave a cohort of people behind, and that we do not impact or compound inequalities, discrimination or any of the concerns the Senator, I, and everybody around this table have. We will do our best to devise a sandbox that has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I sit on and chair the expert digital advisory group within the Department. We have had two or three meetings since I started. The Department had work on devising the digital charter well under way. I cannot take any credit for it. It is an attempt to ensure the SMEs within this country that do not have a big AI or digital department will have the bigger companies almost buddy up with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: There is no reason it could not. Our ETBs do incredible work, along with other agencies on the ground. I am sure the Senator has agencies in mind that we could perhaps engage with in future. If she sees an opportunity there, I would be happy to liaise with her on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I accept what the Senator is saying. I am sorry if it comes across that this is entirely focused on SMEs-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: It comes under the Department of enterprise, so there has largely been a focus on that, but I absolutely take the Senator's point. This is organically happening before our eyes, in the sense that departmental officials are engaging with and open to, as is the advisory council, feeding into or taking suggestions and ideas from way more than just the enterprise sector. The Senator is right....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I hope that the establishment of the new national skills council, which will link Government, industry and social partners, will help to achieve that. An expert group on future skills needs very recently commissioned a study to understand and forecast digital skills needs in Ireland up to 2030.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I take the Senator's points. I will use the points she raised to feed into that, if that is okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I do not know. I do not think I could possibly know at this early point, which is not to obfuscate. I would like to be able to answer the Deputy's question more directly but I hope when we establish the AI observatory, that will give us data and a real knowledge base into where the displacement may come from.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I would like to think we will not be looking at the kinds of figures the Deputy referenced in Ireland. I will be a realist and say there will obviously be some displacement. I would be a fool not to say that. To address the Deputy's opening remarks, we cannot afford not to embrace AI and embrace it in a way that has a risk-based approach that protects our citizens. I am equally very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I am not familiar with the article the Deputy raised. I am more than happy for him to share it with me, if he wants. My understanding is the EU AI Act is intended to protect citizens and to have that risk-based approach. The example the Deputy gave is a very cruel way of using workers. It certainly would not be acceptable in Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: With Meta.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: Okay. I am not familiar with the details so I will have to come back to him on it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: That treatment of workers is certainly not acceptable.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: What I will say to the Deputy is, and I am sorry for repeating myself but he is giving me a level of detail I am not aware of, that AI systems will do much of the content moderation that is done by humans. On his question, I will again go back to the point that the EU AI Act is there to protect citizens. While I know we are not at the enforcement stage, it is my ambition not only that we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: My answer is that is "No".

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: To answer the Deputy's question, I hope we can do both. I hope we can embrace AI in an ethical way that is regulated, that people can use and that does not harm citizens, and that we can also meet our climate targets. I have listened to the Deputy's contributions over the years on data centres and I appreciate where he is coming from. I have equal concerns about our use of energy, but the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I thank Deputy Keogh for her question. To answer her question bluntly on whether this portfolio is in the right Department, I will obviously say "Yes". I am hugely enthusiastic about the portfolio itself and it has a huge role to play in enterprise, trade and employment. That is not ignoring the fact that it has a role to play in every walk of life and every Government Department. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: Going back to the national AI office, it will have oversight across all departments and sectors. While it has been established out of this Department, it will be a stand-alone, independent, national AI office that will have oversight across all Departments. It will come at it from a different angle than the Deputy's suggestion but it may happen too that there will be expertise in AI in all...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: We are working towards 2 August 2026. There is a lot of August 20-something in the coming years and I want to be accurate about that. It is August 2026.