Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 June 2023
112. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications how the challenge of artificial intelligence is being integrated into Ireland's National Cyber Security Strategy. [28683/23]
View answerThe National Cyber Security Strategy 2019-2024 is a whole-of-Government strategy to address the growing threat of cyber security incidents, to ensure Ireland can benefit fully from the digital transformation. The Strategy includes 20 separate measures to safeguard public sector networks and essential services, to support the development of Ireland's cyber security industry and ensure we play our part in defending a free, open, secure and stable cyberspace. The Strategy acknowledges the cyber security challenges and opportunities associated with new and disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). The importance of these technologies is highlighted in the Strategy's measures relating to national capacity building and support for cyber security research, development and innovation.
My Department has recently conducted a Mid-Term Review of the Strategy which will be considered by Cabinet very soon and published thereafter. This review has been informed by a public consultation conducted between December 2022 and February 2023. The consultation paper published in December highlighted the need for the Strategy to consider technological developments with impacts on cyber security, in particular disruptive technologies such as AI. These technologies were a feature of a number of submissions to the public consultation. As part of the consultation process a virtual roundtable was convened with stakeholders from the cyber security research community which considered a range of technologies including AI. The Mid-Term Review will take account of developments in AI and other technologies to ensure Ireland can avail of the opportunities these present and respond to associated challenges.
In response to recent advances in AI technology - specifically large language models (LLMs) which are being deployed for a number of purposes - the NCSC recently published a blog post outlining cyber security considerations associated with this technology. The NCSC has also prepared guidance for Government Departments on the use of AI technologies and in particular applications which utilise LLM, which issued in recent weeks.
