Ireland could position itself as a world leader in the safe and ethical development of artificial intelligence, a major technology forum in Dublin has heard.
The country’s first National AI Leadership Forum opened with representatives from some of the world’s biggest technology firms, regulators, government bodies, finance companies, universities, civil society groups, healthcare providers, and media organisations. Attendees include executives from Meta, Microsoft, Google and Intercom, as well as the Data Protection Commission, Coimisiún na Meán, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, and SIPTU.
The event is organised by ADAPT, the cross-university research centre focused on digital technologies, and hosted by law firm William Fry. The forum’s stated aim is to shape a framework that will allow Ireland to play a leading role in AI governance, regulation and safety.
“It initially developed from some roundtables which were organised by the ADAPT centre and the prevailing view was that Ireland really can become a world leader in AI governance, regulatory and safety space,” said Dr Barry Scannell, a partner in William Fry’s technology department and a member of the Government’s AI Advisory Council. “This morning is about figuring out how we make that happen.”
Scannell noted that the forum was designed to gather as wide a range of stakeholders as possible, but also to move beyond discussion and foster progress on a coherent national policy. “It’s important to recognise that there’s actually some really exciting things being done already,” he added. “Part of the purpose [of this] is to air the various initiatives being undertaken by different elements of the AI ecosystem in Ireland.”
He argued that Ireland already holds significant influence in global digital regulation, pointing to the presence of the world’s largest technology firms in Dublin and the strong reputation of Ireland’s regulators. “We have the ecosystem and the infrastructure to build on,” he said.
Globally, the US has so far dominated AI investment and development, driven by its big tech companies. The European Union, by contrast, has focused heavily on creating regulatory frameworks for the fast-growing industry. This has created tensions, with the US and EU increasingly diverging in their approaches.
Scannell said this divergence presented Ireland with a unique opportunity. “Ireland has always been a bridge between the United States and the European Union,” he noted. “Geopolitically, especially in the AI space, there is a gap widening between the US and Europe in terms of how AI is being approached. Ireland’s position as that bridge between the US and the EU is becoming increasingly important.”
The forum is expected to feed into the Government’s AI Advisory Council, which is already working on recommendations for national AI policy.
