Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Byrne. We are very aware of the challenges that will be presented by AI and by the regulation. We want to ensure balance, whereby the regulation puts in place the guardrails to which Senator Byrne referred but does not choke innovation in Ireland or Europe whereby we lose the experience of this innovation to other jurisdictions.

A key part of my work in the coming weeks will be the appointment of an AI advisory council. The role of this council will be to provide independent expert advice to the Government on AI policy, with a specific focus on building public trust and promoting the development of trustworthy person-centred AI. It will provide expert guidance, insights and recommendations. It will independently develop and deliver its own work plan. This work plan will provide advice to the Government on issues including the AI Bill and insights on trends, opportunities and challenges. Senator Byrne will welcome that another of its roles will be to engage in public communication to demystify AI and promote trustworthy, ethical and, most importantly, person-centred AI. I am confident I will be in a position to appoint this council in the coming weeks. We have had an overwhelming number of applications with people of great expertise interested in serving. We will put together a very good and independent council.