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:

  1. AI and Society:
    • Addressing societal impacts of AI and seizing opportunities for AI to solve societal challenges.
  2. 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.
  3. Driving adoption of AI in Irish enterprise
    • Promoting AI adoption by Irish enterprise.
  4. AI Serving the Public
    • Public Sector leadership in adoption of AI.
  5. A strong AI innovation ecosystem
    • Innovating with AI for a supportive RDI ecosystem; enterprise-level understanding, development and deployment of AI.
  6. AI Education, Skills and Talent
    • Generating appropriate skills and education for AI and ensuring access to talent.
  7. A supportive and secure infrastructure for AI
    • Building a robust, secure and effective data, digital and connective infrastructure as a key enabler for AI.
  8. 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.