Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 June 2023
74. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on his recent convening of the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum meeting at CeADAR, Ireland's designated AI hub; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31387/23]
View answerOn Tuesday 13th June last I convened a meeting of the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum in CeADAR, Ireland’s National Centre for Applied AI.
The Forum, which meets quarterly, was established to support and advise the Government in driving the digitalisation of enterprise across Ireland and brings together representatives of indigenous enterprise of all sizes, multi-national companies, and experts in digital technologies and their adoption by enterprise. The Forum provides a focused body for Government to hear the views and perspectives of enterprise and experts on digitalisation and technology.
Given the significant advancements in recent months both on the technological front, and in public discussion and debate around Artificial Intelligence, our meeting of the Forum was focused on AI. AI and its adoption by enterprise is one of five workstreams contained in the 2023 Work Programme of the Forum.
We had a very good discussion around how businesses can be supported to use AI tools and CeADAR presented on the range of supports it offers to businesses. There was widespread endorsement by the Forum of the Government’s approach to AI, guided by the National AI Strategy.
As Ireland’s designated National AI Hub, CeADAR is soon to be a member of the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs. CeADAR will serve as Ireland’s one stop shop for AI transformation for businesses of all sizes and the public sector. It will give them the tools to compete in an increasingly fast-changing world. This makes CeADAR vital for Ireland’s future enterprise landscape and I am looking forward to it becoming operational soon.
