One of the biggest tech stories of 2024 was the European Commission’s ruling against Apple, ordering the company to pay €14 billion in unpaid taxes to Ireland. This landmark decision has been a focal point of political debate, especially during Ireland’s General Election. The first €3 billion from the windfall arrived in October, with the remainder expected in 2024 and 2025. Political parties outlined their spending plans, with Fianna Fáil proposing €4 billion for housing, while Sinn Féin suggested using €7.6 billion for public housing projects. This substantial payment is set to have a lasting impact on the nation’s economy and politics.
Artificial intelligence (AI) also saw significant progress and regulatory action throughout the year. AI advancements were made with the launch of several new models by major tech companies. Looking ahead to 2025, Dell Technologies predicts AI will transition from experimentation to widespread adoption, becoming a critical driver of business transformation. However, the rapid growth of AI has raised concerns about its safety and ethical implications.
In response, the European Union’s AI Act came into force in August, imposing new regulations on high-risk AI systems. These include stricter rules for AI in critical sectors such as infrastructure, law enforcement, and elections. One of the most notable measures is the requirement for AI-generated content, like deepfakes, to be clearly labeled as such. The Irish government published a list of public authorities responsible for enforcing the AI rules, including the Data Protection Commission (DPC), the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, and the Financial Services Ombudsman.
The DPC was also busy throughout 2024, issuing significant fines to tech giants for data protection violations. In October, LinkedIn was fined €310 million for mishandling user data, while Meta faced fines totaling €342 million for data breaches, bringing its total fines to €2.8 billion. However, only a fraction of these fines has been collected, as legal challenges continue.
In addition to AI regulation, the Irish government also introduced a new Online Safety Code in October, targeting video-sharing platforms like YouTube and TikTok. The code aims to protect children from harmful content, such as cyberbullying and self-harm material, and includes penalties for non-compliance, with fines of up to €20 million or 10% of annual turnover.
Finally, a global IT outage on July 19 highlighted the growing interdependence on technology. The outage, caused by an update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, led to widespread disruptions, including flight cancellations and delays at airports, and impacted banks, telecom firms, and media companies. Ireland, though affected, fared better than many countries, underscoring the need for robust tech infrastructure in an increasingly digital world.
These events reflect the ongoing intersection of technology, regulation, and public policy, shaping the landscape for 2025 and beyond.
