Yesterday the Government launched “AI: Here for Good” a national AI strategy for Irish business and society. AI and other digital technologies are central to all aspects of business and society. This strategy will offer a roadmap to develop a more technologically responsive, ethical and human-centric design and development of digital technologies that will lead to a more productive and prosperous Ireland.
The AI strategy is set out in eight thematic strands:
- AI and Society:
- Addressing societal impacts of AI and seizing opportunities for AI to solve societal challenges.
- A governance ecosystem that promotes trustworthy AI
- Designing a responsible and responsive governance environment for AI that supports innovation and respects ethical principles and human rights.
- Driving adoption of AI in Irish enterprise
- Promoting AI adoption by Irish enterprise.
- AI Serving the Public
- Public Sector leadership in adoption of AI.
- A strong AI innovation ecosystem
- Innovating with AI for a supportive RDI ecosystem; enterprise-level understanding, development and deployment of AI.
- AI Education, Skills and Talent
- Generating appropriate skills and education for AI and ensuring access to talent.
- A supportive and secure infrastructure for AI
- Building a robust, secure and effective data, digital and connective infrastructure as a key enabler for AI.
- Implementation of the strategy
The key deliverables of this strategy are:
- Appointment of an AI ambassador
- Establishment of an AI Innovation Hub, to act as a National First Stop for AI; providing expertise and guidance to enterprises on their AI adoption journey;
- An AI programme for enterprise of targeted funding and advisory measures for AI adoption;
- A national AI cluster or platform to drive collaboration between MNCs and SMEs;
- Consultation with children and young people about AI through Comhairle na nÓg;
- Establishment of AI testbeds and experimentation facilities;
- A coherent approach to public service AI adoption;
- A study of AI skills needs by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs;
- A framework for trustworthy data governance across the private sector and tools and methodologies to apply the framework;
- Increased availability of open Government data; and
- A standards and assurance roadmap for AI.