It’s the new buzzword that’s going around the world; “Artificial Intelligence”, or “AI” or short, and it’s gotten a lot of attention in Ireland given its strong tech industry ties.
Insiders have told The Liberal that the Taoiseach will look at every avenue to regulate AI, including the possibility of further tax measures.
The Taoiseach warned that Europe needs to strike a balance between innovation and regulation, drawing comparisons between artificial intelligence and the Industrial Revolution and the invention of the printing press, reports RTE.
Speaking before the Paris AI Summit, Micheál Martin warned that if the EU was the sole country regulating AI, it would fall behind.
He attended a working dinner last night that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron held, reports RTE.
Senior tech CEOs, including Google’s Sundar Pichai and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, were also in attendance, along with US Vice President JD Vance.
Mr Martin said: “There were very strong voices last evening about the importance of protecting children and young people, for example, [protecting] mental health, protecting democracy, [combatting] hate speech, the idea of focusing in on specific areas where there would have to be regulation, whilst, however, ensuring that there would be an innovation environment in Europe that would match the United States, for example, or other parts of the world,” reports RTE.
Likening AI to the Industrial Revolution and the printing press, the Taoiseach said: “Every time there’s a major breakthrough in technology, fears arise. People do identify the potential dangers from such a breakthrough. On the other hand, we also need to be very strongly aware of the enormous benefits that can accrue from breakthroughs in technology,” reports RTE.
These included innovations in the fields of chronic illness, disease management, and diagnostics.
Wide-ranging talks regarding the potential and challenges presented by the new frontiers of AI involving world leaders, tech companies, and non-governmental groups will take the stage at the summit.
During the summit, world leaders will engage in formal discussions aimed at finding elusive common ground on a technology that is the focus of a global rush for promised economic advantages, reports RTE.
The meeting, which is being hosted by Mr. Macron and Mr. Modi, takes place only hours after Elon Musk allegedly made a bid for the well-known company OpenAI, highlighting AI’s capacity to concentrate power in one place.
Major nations with their own agendas, like the US and China, may become frustrated by attempts to achieve international consensus, r r
According to media sources, the US and Britain, two of the top nations for AI development, are not going to sign the proposed joint declaration.
According to a speech draft obtained by AFP, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz planned to inform his peers that “clear rules that foster the acceptance of AI technologies” are necessary for “good AI governance,” reports RTE.
An purported leaked copy of the joint statement was attacked by outside observers for omitting any reference to AI’s supposed danger to humankind’s future.
Max Tegmark, the director of the Future of Life Institute in the United States, which has issued a warning about the “existential risk” of artificial intelligence, stated that the alleged draft “fails to even mention these risks,” reports RTE.
Recent weeks have highlighted the technological obstacles and expense of entry for countries aiming to stay up to date with AI, particularly with the launch of the high-performing, low-priced Chinese start-up DeepSeek and the $500 billion US ‘Stargate’ effort headed by ChatGPT manufacturer OpenAI.
The Wall Street Journal said that Musk spearheaded a $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI, which would further increase the tech power of the richest man in the world, who already owns X, Tesla, SpaceX, and his own AI company, xAI, and is a close friend of US President Donald Trump, reports RTE.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who is scheduled to give a speech in Paris later today, gave a sour “no thank you” on X in response to the alleged offer, reports RTE.
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