Results 281-300 of 10,922 for speaker:Niamh Smyth

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

Niamh Smyth: I would be supportive of that. As the Deputy will be aware, I have said publicly and within the Department that I would like to see that happening. The Taoiseach is keen to see Ministers coming forward with ideas, proposals and suggestions. I am working on that. I have not presented that idea to the Taoiseach yet but I will do so. The Deputy is absolutely right. It is critically...

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

Niamh Smyth: I thank Deputy Gibney for her question. The Deputy and I attended an important discussion in the National Concert Hall a number of months ago around-----

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

Niamh Smyth: The overarching point is that the EU AI Act is there to protect citizens. It takes a risk-based approach and is about protecting human beings. Of course, there is the creativity piece as well.

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

Niamh Smyth: It is too early to say, to be frank and honest. As I said, I appreciate what the Deputy is saying.

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

Niamh Smyth: Of course I am. I like to work in a conciliatory way, in the sense that we can have a frank discussion about how to do this best. My concern is obviously to protect citizens but also not to stifle innovation. The Deputy stated this is open-ended and she does not feel-----

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

Niamh Smyth: The primary focus of our approach is to put guard rails in place to protect-----

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

Niamh Smyth: Under the Department of trade and enterprise, there has to be an emphasis on-----

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

Niamh Smyth: It is to create a balance between not stifling innovation and allowing creativity to happen while also ensuring it does not in any way damage people's fundamental human rights.

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

Niamh Smyth: Obviously, intellectual property is critically important here. We have to go with the fact that the EU AI Act takes a risk-based approach, which is what-----

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

Niamh Smyth: From 2 August this year, the requirements of the AI Act, general-purpose AI, will apply with all models available in the EU. This requires technology providers to put in place a policy to comply with copyright and to provide information on models for their training to regulators on request. In August 2026, further obligations will apply, requiring regenerative AI systems to make sure AI...

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

Niamh Smyth: To answer Deputy Gibney absolutely correctly, if she does not mind, I will ask one of the officials to put together an answer to her question.

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

Niamh Smyth: To be frank, that will have to be worked out.

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

Niamh Smyth: As a said, we are taking a risk-based approach and using the EU AI Act to ensure we do that. Within the sandbox I am talking about-----

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

Niamh Smyth: To answer the Deputy's question, the sandbox that we are devising is a regulatory sandbox and will be within our own office. We will have a regulatory piece in place, which should ensure that the sandbox does not pose a risk to citizens.

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

Niamh Smyth: If there are additional tools, I will get that information to Deputy Gibney. As I said, and I do not mean to repeat myself, my understanding of the sandbox is that it will allow for that innovation and creativity piece, ensuring we are doing it-----

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

Niamh Smyth: -----within the confines of the law and that we are taking the risk-based approach of the EU Act with which we are all working.

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

Niamh Smyth: On the Senator’s question on public ownership, it is incredibly important to bring the public with us in this debate on AI to ensure we do not leave a cohort of people behind. I am referring to much more than enterprise and trade. On the governance structure, and as the Senator knows, we have adapted a distributive model for the implementation of the AI Act, and that is in...

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

Niamh Smyth: A huge public awareness campaign is needed to ensure people are aware of the AI technologies, their capabilities and how they can be used for fraud and to fool people. ADAPT and one of the colleges here in Dublin are working on an AI literacy and transformation campaign that will target older people specifically to ensure we do not leave that cohort behind. The AI advisory council puts a...

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

Niamh Smyth: The biggest risk is that we will not get them on the transformational train, given that it will run with or without them and us, and that businesses will be unaware of the funding streams supports that may be available through LEOs, Skillnet and Enterprise Ireland. There are supports and funding in all of those Government agencies but the biggest threat is that people in the SME sector will...

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

Niamh Smyth: I thank the Deputy.