Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I also thank my colleagues here in the Seanad for their input on this issue. A number of people have praised the role of the AI ambassador, Dr. Patricia Scanlon. It might be in order at some stage, and perhaps in the new year, for us to invite her to address the Seanad and inform us about her work, and her perspective as to how AI is impacting on the ground.

I agree with the Minister of State that my motion focuses on AI but the full title was artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. When we see the convergence of those new technologies then that is how we are going to see all of our lives change. The Minister of State did make reference to the emerging global mega trends and how we will respond to those. In my motion I also suggested that we look at establishing an Oireachtas committee of the future, and such a committee has been established in other parliaments, most notably in Finland. A committee would allow us to look at some of those bigger picture issues in a cross-party way and bring in external experts to explore those issues.

I welcome the Minister of State's support for Parts 4 and 5 of the Electoral Reform Act. I agree that speed is of the essence because, as everybody knows, we will face a number of elections within the next 18 months so it is critical that we have the necessary safeguards in place.

I disagree with comments made earlier because I believe that the Minister of State has been very proactive of the AI Act. He has said that he optimistic that the legislation would be agreed by the spring but it is critical that the Act is agreed within the mandate of the EU Commission, and obviously before the new Commission and European Parliament elections next year when we have the findings about how that impacts. That is why it is also important that we have a special or select committee, whether it is of this House or the Houses jointly, to look at the impact of that legislation on all aspects of Irish society and, indeed, to have public hearings in that regard.

I strongly agree with Senator Marie Sherlock on the impact that AI will have in the workplace, particularly as we know already that companies use AI especially in the space of recruitment. Therefore, we have got to ensure, in whatever way AI is deployed, that we guard against algorithmic bias and that means right at design phase that we build in the necessary safeguards. AI is not just used for recruitment. It is used for retention practices and a whole range of areas. Therefore, we should have a public information campaign.

I welcome the Minister of State's commitment to continued investment in research because Ireland is and can be a real leader in AI research both in terms of the development of new AI and other technologies but, equally, on the impact of AI on society. The important role of social scientists in looking at both the potential impact and how we should respond is critical.I am glad the Minister of State acknowledged the super work being done by CeADAR out in UCD. I also mention ADAPT, the SFI research centre operating out of Trinity College involving UCD, DCU and quite a number of the other universities. Our higher education sector is very willing and ready to respond.

Senator Boylan rightly raised some of the concerns around technology and its carbon footprint. We must also remember that artificial intelligence can play a big role in addressing this existential crisis around climate change. By using AI effectively, we can look at ways to efficiently allocate resources, optimise supply chains to ensure we can promote sustainable manufacturing processes and ensure we use our energy in the most efficient and environmentally-friendly way possible. This is also why we need to invest in research in much of this space.

I notice Senator Sherlock picked up on this as well, with Senator Craughwell, in respect of being cautious around some of the regulation and legislation. We must set out the guiding principles in this regard. We cannot legislate for every inevitability, but it is critical, particularly for democracies, that we put these guardrails in place. I am grateful to the Minister of State for providing the leadership on this issue and for the contributions of everyone in the Chamber. I hope we will continue to lead the public debate around AI and, indeed, other emerging technologies.